Urging the Central government to provide the fixed wage of ₹ 273 a day to the workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), members of All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU) staged a protest at their workplace during lunch break at Makkinamkombai in Sathyamangalam Taluk here on Monday.
The workers said that the wage for 2021-22 was fixed by the Central government at ₹ 273 a day from April 1, whereas workers were paid only ₹ 230 a day. They claimed that only one-third of the fixed wage was given to them in the past years and their demand for full wage was not fulfilled.
Since their livelihood was affected completely due to COVID-19 in the last one-and-a-half years, they wanted full wages to be paid to them regularly. They also wanted regular work.
At a protest held at Makkinamkombai, union secretary S.C. Natraj addressed the workers and urged the government to consider their demands without delay. Similar protests were held at Indiyampalayam, Ukkaram and Shenbagapudur panchayats.