A meeting of the State Executive Committee of the Dehati Mazdoor Sabha was held at the state office in Jalandhar under the chairmanship of Amrik Singh Daud. Releasing the decisions of the meeting to the press, state general secretary Gurnam Singh Daud and press secretary Baldev Singh Noorpuri said that, in response to the call given by the Joint Front of Rural and Agricultural Labour Organisations, all district and tehsil committees across Punjab have been urged to participate actively in the programme to submit memorandums to the Chief Minister though DCs on June 30 regarding their various long pending demands.
Mazdoor Sabha members said through the memorandums, the Punjab Government will be reminded that since assuming office, it has failed to fulfil its commitments regarding permanent employment for labourers; year-round work under MGNREGA; increasing the minimum daily wage to Rs 700; and taking steps to repeal the “Viksit Bharat G Ram G Law.”
The government will also be reminded to honour its election promises by providing an unconditional monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000/Rs 1,500 to women, along with arrears; increasing widow, old-age and disability pensions to Rs 5,000 per month; waiving all government, non-government, cooperative and microfinance loans owed by labourers; repealing the four Labour Codes enacted by the Central Government in place of the existing labour laws; implementing land reforms by distributing surplus land among landless labourers and marginal farmers; allotting one-third of panchayati land to labourers; and providing residential plots along with a grant of Rs 5 lakh for house construction to needy families.
The leaders stated that rural labourers have been continuously struggling for these basic and legitimate demands. However, the government, which came to power promising “change,” has consistently ignored the concerns and demands of labourers.The meeting resolved to intensify the struggle for these just and legitimate demands.
Among those present on the occasion were Comrade Shamsher Singh Batala, Parmjit Randhawa, Gurnam Singh Bhinder and Jagjit Singh Jasseyana.
