DINDIGUL
More than 200 agricultural labourers from various villages in Vedasandur block thronged the Collectorate here on Monday demanding work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
Farm labourers from Sinduvarpatti and Sukkampatti villages in Vadamadurai union submitted petitions to Collector T.G. Vinay, demanding employment for their livelihood under the Central government-sponsored scheme. Raising slogans against the State government, they also pressed for various other demands.
Addressing the gathering, Tamil Nadu Farmers Association district treasurer Arulselvan said the district administration should provide work to farm labourers under the MGNREGS. With no agriculture activity going on in the region, they had been facing hardship.
The villagers had been offered work only for 30 days this year instead of 100 days as envisaged under the scheme. Poor farm labourers, who solely depended on daily wages, had been struggling without any work. They were not getting work regularly under the MGNREGS, and also they were denied work in agricultural fields, said the farm labourers who gathered in front of the Collectorate.
The Central government too had reduced funds for the scheme, they said.
