Farmers' Union Criticizes Recent Changes to Employment Guarantee Act
Farmers' Union Voices Concerns Over Legislative Changes
The Farmers' Labor Front of India has strongly condemned the recent legislative amendments made by the Modi administration to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). They allege that these new policies aim to deprive MGNREGA workers of employment opportunities across the nation. The union argues that by stripping implementation powers from the District Development and Panchayat Offices, the central government is centralizing control over work approvals.
To protest these changes, the union plans to organize a series of district-level demonstrations starting at the end of this month.
Funding Cuts and Centralized Decision-Making
The organization has stated that the central government has effectively limited MGNREGA by slashing funding by nearly 40%. They also claim that the rights of Panchayati Raj institutions and state government bodies, particularly the District Development and Panchayat Offices that have played a crucial role in implementing MGNREGA projects, are being undermined. According to the union, the central government is now centralizing decisions on which projects will be approved and who will receive employment, thereby weakening local governance.
Reduction in Job Categories and Impact on Workers
The union further asserts that there is a reduction in the categories of work permitted under MGNREGA. In Punjab alone, there are approximately 1.1 to 1.2 million job cards, while around 120 million workers across India rely on MGNREGA for their livelihoods. The organization accuses the central government of pushing these workers towards unemployment to provide cheap labor to corporate entities.
Upcoming Protests and Demands
In opposition to these policies, the Farmers' Labor Front has announced plans to burn effigies of the Modi government at various district headquarters in Punjab on December 29. They are demanding the restoration and implementation of MGNREGA in its original form, an increase in guaranteed work to 200 days per year, and a raise in daily wages to ₹700. Additionally, the organization has expressed its opposition to four labor laws enacted by the central government, claiming these laws undermine workers' rights nationwide.
Commitment to Workers' Rights
The union concluded its statement by asserting that their struggle will continue until the full protection of workers' and laborers' rights is achieved.
Previous Protests in Tamil Nadu
Earlier, the ruling DMK-led coalition in Tamil Nadu protested against the Developed India Guarantee Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) Act in Chennai. Leaders from the DMK and its allies participated in this demonstration, labeling the move as an attempt to erase Mahatma Gandhi's legacy from MGNREGA.