NREGA workers falling victims to exploitation: CPM

Maintaining that the CPI(M) had earlier drawn the attention of the government towards this aspect,she said this was “sheer exploitation in the name of NREGA”.

In an interview,Karat said most of those getting employed under this flagship programme were “basically engaged in digging soil and lifting mud which is very hard work”.

They were paid wages on the basis of the work they completed a day. “Under NREGA,the wages are piece-rated. The workers wage is linked to the productivity norm. They get full wage only after they complete the work…,” she said.

“Sometimes the soil is very hard,very stony. And when the workers are digging deep,they have to lift and take the soil or mud several meters away from the spot to throw it.” “I have calculated that in one day,according to the productivity norms,a woman has to lift between 1500 to 2000 kg of mud a day. These women (as a result) fall ill and,therefore,miss days of work. They do not get the full minimum wage,” she said.

The CPI(M) leader said women workers,who were “mainly” engaged in the work of lifting mud or soil,were the worst sufferers even though they outnumbered men,working under NREGA,in many states.

At present,the productivity norms across the country were “so high as to ensure that these workers are not able to earn the minimum wage”,Karat claimed.

As per her assessment,women workers were getting one third wages less than what men earn.

The latest figures show that over 108 crore women workers under the prestigious scheme constituted half the national workforce thus employed.