This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.

MGNREGA Workers Return Meagre ₹5 Wage Hike To PM Modi

MGNREGA Workers Return Meagre ₹5 Wage Hike To PM Modi
An Indian migrant worker stack bricks on his head at a brick factory in Lalitpur, Nepal January 11, 2016. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar
Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters
An Indian migrant worker stack bricks on his head at a brick factory in Lalitpur, Nepal January 11, 2016. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar

LATEHAR -- As a mark of protest, MGNREGA workers in Manika block of Latehar have in separate envelopes returned their ₹5 "meagre" wage hike to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May Day.

Enclosing the money with a letter, the workers affiliated to the Gram Swaraj Mazdoor Sangh "expressed concern" at the "meagre" hike as they felt that the central government was facing "paucity of funds", otherwise the wages would have definitely increased in tune with Jharkhand's minimum daily wage which is ₹212.

The minimum wage under centrally-sponsored MGNREGA in Jharkhand is ₹162 and after the hike it stands at ₹167.

"...but we are fortunate that increase in 17 other states was less than ₹5. It appears that the labourers in Odisha have become prosperous as their wages have not been increased," the letter said.

Further, the affected workers, including women, said in the letter that they felt the Centre's monetary need was more than theirs as the central government's expenditure was more.

"Pondering over all these factors, we, the MGNREGA workers, in unison, have decided to return to you the ₹5 hike with the hope that you may make happy companies, friends and employees," the letter concluded signing off "labourer" as the sender.

The MGNREGA workers took out a protest rally under the banner of "Gram Swaraj Mazdoor Sangh" and held a meeting to mark the day yesterday, a press release by the protesters said.

Contact HuffPost India

Also On HuffPost:

Mario Miranda Artwork

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.