Kerala pushes for more works under job scheme

The State on Tuesday requested the Union government to include more works, including paddy cultivation, dairy farming, coconut farming, and production of coir yarn, under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). In a memorandum submitted to Union Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh, the State made the following suggestions:

MGNREGS workers to be part of paddy production expansion initiatives by engaging in land development activities such as bunding, fertilizer application, irrigation, harvesting and so on, apart from weeding, tilling, and land preparation.

Cleaning sheds, feeding and milking of cattle, and so on as part of dairy farming using MGNREGS workers

Use of the workers for removal of disease-affected juvenile palms, old and senile palms, and replanting as part of coconut farming

Inclusion of coir production – husk collection, retting and defibering, spinning, and bundling

Inclusion of Khadi and handloom work under MGNREGS and payment of wages to the workers under the scheme

Minister for Rural Development K.C. Joseph submitted the memorandum.