The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday extended its solidarity to workers’ strike at NREGA worksites across the country on May 15.
The main demands of the strike include rolling back the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), reinstating a strengthened form of the MGNREGA Act; guaranteeing 200 days of work with a minimum wage of Rs 700 (adjusted yearly according to market inflation), rolling back the ‘exclusionary’ technology for payments and attendance systems to empower the Gram Sabhas to be major stakeholders in MGNREGA works.
“Since the enactment of VB-GRAM (G), the Union Government has been peddling lies about how this new Act is an upgrade over the old one, especially regarding how it considers peak agricultural seasons and provides more workdays to the workers. In reality, the number of workdays cannot increase and the right-to-work policy has been abdicated and restricted based on financial allocation, thus betraying the people entitled of statutory right to work," the SKM said in a statement.
The farmers body demanded restoring 90 per cent funding from the Centre and providing work without interruption.
The joint platform of Agricultural and Rural Workers’ Unions and the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha called for the nationwide strike by MGNREGA workers on May 15.
In a joint statement, the platform said the proposed strike formed part of a broader campaign against what it described as the weakening of the rights-based employment programme.
The action also received support from the platform of Central Trade Unions and several affiliated organisations across the country.
Several central trade unions, including the All India Trade Union Congress, Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Indian National Trade Union Congress and others, have also extended solidarity to the proposed strike and urged workers across sectors to participate in the protest actions.
