As works dried up in the COVID-19 lockdown hit cities, the migrant workers, who returned to their villages, depends on the works under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act for their livelihood. But, on an average they get paid Rs 190 a day which is about 26 per cent less than the fixed wage of Rs 256.
Chennai: Under the MGNREGS scheme, state stands third in the country on lowest average wage paid to the workers behind Telangana and Rajasthan. Telangana and Rajasthan pay 31 per cent and 27 per cent less wages against the notified wages of Rs 237 and Rs 220 respectively.
The average wage paid by Tamil Nadu is even lower than the national average of Rs 197. Haryana and Kerala lead the country with payment of Rs 309 and Rs 291 as wage respectively.
The daily wage of the workers of the MGNREGA scheme has been enhanced by Rs 27 to Rs 256 from Rs 229 in the state after the Centre notified revision of the wage rate following reverse migration. The hike came into effect on April 1.
A Laser, state president of the All India Agricultural Workers Union said that the wage of Rs 256 fixed for MGNREGA remains only on paper as the workers get less than Rs 150 a day. “You can visit any village to find out how much wages are being paid. I don’t know how they arrived at the average paid wage of Rs 190 a day. We have been urging the state to pay the workers full wages as they are entirely dependent on it for their livelihood,” he said.
He said that only persons to get full wages were the field in-charges. “Mostly they will be persons known to the panchayat president or belonging to the ruling party,” he noted.
However, a senior official in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department said the wages were paid as per the work finished. “Full payment will be made if the worker completes the required work. No worker will be denied their due wage,” the official said, adding that steps were being taken to clear all wage dues.
The average wage paid by Tamil Nadu is even lower than the national average of Rs 197. Haryana and Kerala lead the country with payment of Rs 309 and Rs 291 as wage respectively.
The daily wage of the workers of the MGNREGA scheme has been enhanced by Rs 27 to Rs 256 from Rs 229 in the state after the Centre notified revision of the wage rate following reverse migration. The hike came into effect on April 1.
A Laser, state president of the All India Agricultural Workers Union said that the wage of Rs 256 fixed for MGNREGA remains only on paper as the workers get less than Rs 150 a day. “You can visit any village to find out how much wages are being paid. I don’t know how they arrived at the average paid wage of Rs 190 a day. We have been urging the state to pay the workers full wages as they are entirely dependent on it for their livelihood,” he said.
He said that only persons to get full wages were the field in-charges. “Mostly they will be persons known to the panchayat president or belonging to the ruling party,” he noted.
However, a senior official in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department said the wages were paid as per the work finished. “Full payment will be made if the worker completes the required work. No worker will be denied their due wage,” the official said, adding that steps were being taken to clear all wage dues.