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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Agri ministry: Cease NREGA during key farming periods

Agri ministry: Cease NREGA during key farming periods

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published Published on Jul 18, 2011   modified Modified on Jul 18, 2011
The ministry of agriculture has written to the ministry of rural development asking them to suspend Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) projects during peak farming seasons because of labour unavailability.

The ministry of rural development headed by Jairam Ramesh has still to take a decision on this matter.

The secretary of agriculture P.K. Basu in his letter has rung the alarm bells by pointing out that the ministry’s assessment based on field visits, inputs from farmers and reports from the states, shows that ever since Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act came into force, the cost of agricultural labour has gone up between 16 to 43 per cent depending on the nature of the soil and the crops.

The ministry has therefore suggested Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act be suspended during the period of high-crop activity so that labour can engage in sowing, transplantation and harvesting activities. A study conducted by the Kerala University in Palakkad district confirms this viewpoint emphasising that rubber plantations and rice farmers have been affected due to labour shortage. Punjab sees a phenomenal rise in farm workers prices during these months as demand is much higher than supply.

Similarly, farmer unions in Andhra Pradesh warned of a 20 per cent drop in productivity during kharif in 2009 due to labour scarcity.

This shortage has been found to cut across most states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh.
Activist Aruna Roy, member of the NAC, refuses to buy this argument. “I think (the rural development ministry) rather than making a blanket decision, should work towards mutual adjustment to resolve this issue.

“Look at the phenomenal rise of prices of all commodities. Salaries in all other areas have risen exponentially. Why should farm labour not receive better wages? Traditionally also, during peak periods, farm labour has received higher wages and I believe they should continue to do so,” she added.


http://www.asianage.com/india/agri-ministry-cease-nrega-during-key-farming-periods-421


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