Vidarbha farmers oppose MNREGA off-duration suggestion

A farmers’ NGO has opposed Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar’s reported demand that work on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) be suspended for three months to make labourers available during the peak farm season.

Pawar had reportedly sent a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month suggesting at least three months in a year be considered an off-duration of the rural employment scheme so that farm labourers are available during the peak agricultural operations in various parts of the country.

Vidarbha Jandolan Samiti (VJAS),an NGO active in the region,where it has been documenting farmer suicides,has opposed the reported suggestion made by Pawar.

“We are not supporting Pawar’s demand reportedly made in a letter sent to the Prime Minister. Instead,we suggest that agrarian activities be made part of MGNREGA” VJAS President Kishor Tiwari said in a statement here.