Extend MGNREGA work to 200 days, says PMK

The PMK on Monday demanded that work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act be extended to 200 days instead of the present 100 days.

In a statement, its founder S. Ramadoss said that the recent data about employment opportunities in Tamil Nadu makes it clear that Government should safeguard the livelihood of people.

“Work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act has once again begun and it is expected that the number of people employed through it will increase in the coming days. The markets will take few more weeks to provide jobs for formal and informal sector workers. Millions of workers depend on MGNREGA for employment,” he said.

An extra ₹40,000 crore has been added for the rural employment scheme to ₹61,000 crore already announced by the Centre, which would make it possible to increase the number of employable days through the scheme.

“It is possible to increase the number of employable days to 200. It can improve the livelihood of people who have lost jobs and income,” he said.

He further said that only ₹1436.81 crore has been set aside for the scheme in Tamil Nadu through which a family will receive work for only 6 days a month at a daily wage of ₹200 instead of ₹256.

“It is clear that the funds set aside by Centre for Tamil Nadu is not enough with more people seeking work through MGNREGA. The MGNREGA is not just a scheme to provide guaranteed work in rural areas but a scheme to kickstart growth rural growth and in turn spur India’s economic growth. The money spent through this scheme will be spent in the consumer market which will increase rupee liquidity,” he added.