MP's 2 crore labourers do not receive much help from state govt: Report

The 2011 census data from Madhya Pradesh has revealed that out of the total 7.27 crore population of the state, approximately 2 crore worked as labourers.

According to an NDTV report, one-fourth of the state's population worked as farm labourers. As Madhya Pradesh is largely dependent on agriculture, around 1.85 crore people have registered themselves as labourers in the unorganized sector.

Moneycontrol cannot independently verify the report.

The revelation was made during a meeting held to discuss the best ways of implementing labour welfare schemes.

However, State Labour Minister Balkrishna Patidar claimed that the list needs to be updated as “farmers who had less than 2.50 acres of land were treated as labourers... we will sort the list.”

Nonetheless, the Congress was quick to criticise the state government and alleged that it was claiming such high numbers to net more funds.

"On May 1, Labour Day, they will see if they can gather two crore labourers. It's a scam to get funds and benefits in the name of labourers," Congress spokesman KK Mishra said.

Ground reality

According to the report, although the state government runs a programme for the welfare of labourers, many of them were not even aware of the benefits.

NDTV spoke to a daily wage labourer in Bhopal, identified only as Pankaj, who feeds a family of six. He earned Rs 300 a day, while another labourer, Inder, who has four members in his family earned the same amount. Both of them were not aware of any benefits being provided to them by the state government.

When asked whether he had registered himself as a labourer with the government, Pankaj said, "We don't know..." Inder was of the same view ad went to state that he did not even have a ration card.

"I don't even have a ration card, though I am working as a labourer for the past 10 years," Inder said.