Federation of Rajasthan Khadi Gramodyog Sanstha Sangh today demanded that workers engaged in small-scale units making Khadi products should be given wages at par with NREGA labourers.
A job guarantee with a payment of Rs 150 per day for eight hours of work is guaranteed to labourers under NREGA. The same should be extended to 50,000 workers engaged in making Khadi products in 135 small-scale units of Rajasthan, secretary of the federation Rajendra Bhandari told a press conference here.
At present spinners get Rs 3 for each spin bundle and weavers get up to Rs 70 a day, he said.
Criticising the Centre's move to stop rebate on Khadi products for the last two years, Bhandari said it was being replaced by MDA (Market Development Assistance).
Out of the 20 per cent MDA, units had to pay a rebate of Rs 15 to customers and 5 per cent to workers, he said.
Bhandari demanded that Centre should abolish MDA and the state government should raise its rebate limit of 10 per cent to 15 per cent and added that Khadi-workers should also be linked with National Health Insurance Scheme as given to workers of unorganised sector.
The federation has also demanded a grant of Rs 10 crore to set up a Khadi Exhibition Centre and that state governments should buy at least 50 per cent of produce from small units, he added.
