With farming activity commencing in land irrigated by Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal, Keel Bhavani Farmers’ Welfare Association has urged the district administration to temporarily stops works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) till harvesting is over so that adequate workforce is available for cultivation.
Its president C. Nallasamy said that though it is a best scheme, irregularities take place in a planned manner there by crippling the hard work of the workers. He said that a portion of the wages paid to the workers is taken away by the job executors and political parties remain mute spectators focusing on vote banks. In the absence of workforce, farming activities were affected in the past years and many want to return to farming now.
Currently, water was released from dams for carrying out irrigation across the State and there is a need for more workers for cultivation. Hence, rural works under the scheme should be stopped temporarily so that adequate workers are available for cultivation, he said. He wanted the government to act immediately and ensure that rural works are stopped and workers are available for cultivation.
