Bhopal: Even as the BJP is making tall claims on development during the past 15 years of its rule, 1.85 crore labourers, nearly one fourth of population in the state, work in unorganised sector in Madhya Pradesh. The above data came to light during registration of labourers in unorganised sector for giving them benefits of various schemes launched by the state government before the election.
In fact, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh has been citing data about increase in income of common man, but the above statistics give an opposite picture of growth. Besides, the number of people under the BPL list has increased so much that the quantity of ration meant for this category has become less.
Labour minister Balkrishna Patidar said the farmers who had less than 2.50 acres were treated as labourers. “Besides, those who are not paying income tax and working in unorganised sector have been treated as labourers,” said Patidar. He further said in the coming days, the number of such labourers might decline.
The registration was being done to give the benefits of the government schemes to the labourers, he said. However, leader of opposition Ajay Singh said it was a matter of shame, that the government which talked of development had created labourers whose number was one fourth of the state population. Singh said the aim of the government was not to promote welfare of labourers. Instead of talking of growth, the chief minister should explain to the people the reason for poverty that forced people to work as labourers.
Most applications from areas of Sushma Swaraj, Kamal Nath
Nearly seven lakh labourers from parliamentary constituency of Kamal Nath have applied for registration. The number is highest in the state. Another district from where a large number of applications was received is Vidisha, the parliamentary constituency of foreign minister Sushma Swaraj. According to the Niti Ayog report, Vidisha is the most backward district in the country. Nearly, four lakh labourers from Bhopal have applied for registration.