JOIN USFarmers up in arms against MGNREGS irregularities
Addressing the media here on Friday, KPRS secretary J C Bayya Reddy said the Raitha Sangha, Karnataka Prantha Krishi Koolikarara Sangha and Akila Bharatha Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane will also be joining the KPRS in the protest.
The protesters are demanding that the minimum daily wage granted under the scheme be raised to Rs 150, and criticised the Congress for fixing an upper limit to the minimum wages given and for removing the daily allowance.
They also alleged that laws were being broken, fake documents were being created to usurp funds and demanded that criminal cases be filed against those found guilty of misusing MGNREGS funds. “Contractors with political backing are illegally being given 50 to 100 job cards. These contractors, in turn, take a commission of 33 per cent to create fake documents and then use machines to finish the work when manual labour is available,” Bayya Reddy said.
He added that even though 75 per cent of the workers were women, there were no facilities to take care of their children. “However, on paper all these facilities exist and money is being looted for this. The BJP government is also supporting these irregularities,” he alleged.
The scheme, which is pro-farmers and poor people, can be used for protect the land and water resources and develop horticulture and forestry, however the projects being undertaken flouting all the rules under the scheme, they added.
KPRS district unit members Suryanarayana, D M Venkatesh and Krishnegowda were present at the press conference.