MP Arora urges Central Government to increase daily wages for Punjab MNREGA workers

Ludhiana, February 6, 2024: MP (Rajya Sabha) from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora has express his utter dissatisfaction with lesser wages being given to the workers of Punjab under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) compared to the neighboring state Haryana.

In a statement here today, he said he had taken up this issue in the ongoing budget session of Rajya Sabha, mentioning that He the current wage rate under MNREGA in Punjab is Rs 303 per day which is much lower than the neighboring state Haryana, where the wage rate is Rs 357 per day. 

He pointed out that the Punjab State Labour Department has notified unskilled agricultural labour wage rate of Rs 412.95 per day, which is much higher than the wage rate offered under MNREGA. 

Arora said that such discrimination creates inequality among workers and also weakens the dignity of labour and the intention of the MNREGA program. 

He urged upon the Centre to intervene in the matter and revise the current wage rate for Punjab. He said, "It is imperative that the wage rate is increased to bring it on par with either Haryana or the wage rates set by the labour department."

Arora regretted that the annual amount released under MNREGA has reduced in 2022-23 compared to previous years, this amount should have increased keeping inflation in mind.

He said this issue was raised earlier also by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He had said that the Punjab Government is getting more work done under the MNREGA scheme, but the Centre is discriminating against workers of the state. He said that in comparison to the year 2020-21 (Rs 77 crore), three times more work of repair of canals and reservoirs (Rs 228 crore) is being done under MNREGA in 2023-24.

Arora said he would keep on raising this issue at all suitable platforms till something concrete is not done by the Centre. He categorically stated that he would not allow further discrimination and inequality with MNREGA workers of Punjab. He opined that these workers too, play a key role in the development of the state with their hard labour, therefore, their interests could never be ignored.