Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday batted for an increase in the wage rate notified under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in the state to Rs 381.06, at par with the rate notified by Punjab for unskilled agriculture workers.
In a letter to Union Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Giriraj Singh, the CM sought an upward revision in the rates notified for labour under the scheme as the existing rates were too minuscule. He said the wage rate of Rs 303 has been notified for Punjab State in comparison to Rs 357 for the neighbouring State Haryana.
Mann said he has come to know that this difference has existed since the inception of the scheme despite the fact that both states share similar geographic and economic conditions.
The CM said the state Labour Department has notified unskilled agricultural labour wage rate of Rs 381.06 is also higher than the MGNREGA wage rate. He said it reflects the beneficiaries of this scheme are being denied their rightful dues which is not at all acceptable.
Mann said it is unfortunate that unskilled workers in Haryana get more payment for the same work done in compared to Punjab, which is a grave injustice to them.
The CM, sought the intervention of the Union minister to get the matter examined again and increase Punjab’s wage rate at par with that of Haryana or with Punjab state labour department’s wage rates.
He said increase in wage rate will help in improving the livelihood base of beneficiaries besides motivating them to work zealously under the Scheme. Mann expressed hope that the Union minister will sympathetically consider the legitimate claim of Punjab and pass on the necessary directions to the officers.