Activists move SC for wages to MNREGA workers

Social activists Aruna Roy And Nikhil Dey have approached the Supreme Court for payment of wages to MNREGA workers, temporary job cardholders and migrant labourers, during the period of 21-day lockdown in the country.

They said all active job cardholders should be deemed to be on work and entitled to full time-rate wages for the duration of the COVID-19 lockdown period.

The petitioners, through their advocate Prashant Bhushan, contended that no active MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005), job cardholders should be forced to risk their health and lives by being physically present for work during the period of the COVID-19 lockdown.

They also urged the court to ensure the issuance of temporary job cards to all migrants who have returned to their native villages.

The petitioners also sought an increase in the entitlement of households from 100 days of work to 200 days of work.

The petition, which was mentioned on Friday before the court, may come up for hearing on Tuesday.

They asked how the migrant workers and labourers would survive when they cannot risk their health and lives by reporting for work to earn their wages under lockdown conditions when transport was not available.

"The orders of March 24, and 29, 2020, of the central government, under Sections 6 and Section 10 of National Disaster Management Act (NDMA) 2005, are binding on all the Ministries and state governments. MGNREGA works have not been classified as of essential services in nature," the petition stated.