Special Correspondent
NREG should not affect agricultural operations: Minister
“Number of farm labourers has gone down after introduction of the NREG scheme”
Explore possibility of engaging labourers during agriculture off-season: Minister
CUDDALORE: Union Minister of State for Law K. Venkatapathi has called for evolving a suitable strategy to implement the National Rural Employment Gurantee (NREG) Scheme without affecting agricultural operations.
He was speaking at the vigilance and monitoring committee meeting held here on Saturday.
Mr. Venkatapathi was responding to the observation of R. Silambu Selvi, Chairperson of the Cuddalore District Panchayat, who said the number of farm labourers had gone down drastically after the introduction of the NREG scheme.
Hence, sugarcane harvest was delayed by over six months, affecting the quality of the cane, hindering the supply to sugar mills and delaying payment.
Mr. Venkatapathi said the NREG Act had made it mandatory to provide labourers jobs for 100 days on demand. Therefore, works could neither be halted nor postponed. The possibility of engaging labourers under the NREG scheme during the agriculture off-season could be explored, he said.
However, D. Ravikumar, MLA, objected to confining the NREG works only to farm off-seasons. If it were done, farm labourers would be exploited, because they were already denied the minimum wages recommended by the Kolappan Committee. The Minister said the Neyveli Lignite Corporation should extend the “peripheral area development scheme” from a five-km radius to a 15-km one.
E. Ponnuswami, MP, said officials had not responded to his proposal to take up water schemes in 310 schools using the MP Local Area Development Funds.
Mr. Ravikumar alleged prevalence of the double-tumbler system in certain places such as Kuruvadi. There should not be any discrimination in allowing entry to the temples run by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment, he said.
G. Aiyappan, MLA, called for strengthening the banks of the Gedilam and the Pennaiyar to avert floods. Saba Rajendran, MLA, sought basic amenities in schools.
District Collector Rajendra Ratnoo gave a power point presentation on the initiatives in implementing government schemes.
