Low wages driving labourers away from MNREGA: Raj Min

Villagers are not opting for MNREGA jobs in Rajasthan due to low wages offered under the central scheme as opposed to the state government's minimum wages and availability of permanent works, the Assembly was informed today.
The minimum labour wage per day given by the state government is Rs 165 as compared to Rs 149 paid under MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister G C Kataria told the House.
On a question of BJP member Hameer Singh Bhayal, the Minister said, in 2008-09, Rs 6,175 crore was spent on MNREGA, while in the current year, till December 2013, it was Rs 2,039 crore.

Despite the minimum wages under MNREGA being increased from Rs 75 to Rs 149, fewer and fewer workers were opting for the Centre-sponsored scheme, he said, adding that daily wages for workers in cities have been raised beyond Rs 200-250 per day.
About 12 lakh workers were working under MNREGA till January this year, and this figure would be raised by March, he said, adding that there was also a need to start works of permanent nature in villages.
Proposals would be prepared fresh and funds would be made available through MLA funds, he said.

On a supplementary question of BJP MLA Rao Rajendra Singh, the Minister said if workers' salaries were not given in 15 days, the officer concerned would be penalised.

He also assured that the government would consider linking MNREGA workers with agriculture and other sectors.
On a question of Babu Singh (BJP), Food and Civil Supply Minister Hem Singh Bhadana assured the House that the state government had written to the Centre to extend the ground nut procurement deadline to February 28 in view of the crop's arrival in mandis.
So far, the state government has procured 19 lakh bags of fresh crop of ground nut from the farmers on MSP.