Update 117 - CEGC Working Group Reports, Murder of NREGA Activist and More

[Rozi Roti]

दोस्तों,

केन्द्रीय रोज़गार गारंटी परिषद के कार्य-दलों की रिपोर्ट ग्रामीण विकास मंत्रालय के सामने राखी गयीं, जिसके बाद मंत्रालय ने इन रिपोर्टों के सुझावों पर अपना जवाब दिया. यह जवाब निराशाजनक ही है, ज़्यादातर सुझाव नकार दिए गए हैं. नरेगा कार्यकर्त्ता हरी लाल का १५ अगस्त को उत्तर प्रदेश में मार दिया गया, इस में भ्रष्ट पंचायत अधिकारीयों का हाथ होने की आशंका है. इसके आलावा, उनीक आई डी (आधार) को नरेगा के साथ जोड़ा जायेगा. इस कदम के कई नकारात्मक परिणाम हो सकते हैं, जो रीतिका खेरा ने एक लेख में लिखें हैं. राजस्थान में रोज़गार एवं सूचना का अधिकार अभियान ने नरेगा मज़दूरों की मांगों को लेकर राज्य में १५ दिन की मजदूर हक यात्रा और अनानिश्चित सत्याघ्रह का आयोजन किया. उनकी मांगों में नरेगा मज़दूरी को महंगाई दर के अनुरूप बढ़ाना, नरेगा के कार्य दिवसों को १०० से २०० तक ले जाना, आदि शामिल था. इस अपडेट में कई रिपोर्ट फिल्ड से हैं, हमें उम्मीद है की वे आपके लिए उपयोगी होंगे. अगर आप रोज़गार अपडेट के माध्यम से कोई लेख/रिपोर्ट को भेजना चाहते हैं, तो roz...@gmail.com पर लिखें.

आशीष

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Dear Friends

Please find appended the latest Rozgar Update. The CEGC Working group reports were tabled at the ministry last month, after which the Ministry of Rural Development gave its responses. These responses are on the whole are dissapointing, with most important recommendations rejected or delayed. NREGA Activist Hari Lal was murdered in UP, on 15 August 2010 at the instance of corrupt panchayat functionaries. In a dubious move, the UID was launched and is supposed to be linked with the NREGA. There are a range of fears associated with this linkage, which are articulated by Reetika Khera in an article. In Rajasthan, the "Rozgar Evum Soochna Ka Adhikar Abhiyan" organised an indefinite satyagrah and "Mazdoor Haq Yatra" (see first item) to press for demands such as the indexing NREGA wages to the Consumer Price Index, increase in number of man days under nrega to 200 from 100, etc. Finally, this update contains a large number of reports from the field, and we hope these will be helpful to you.

Warmly
Aashish

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1. From the field

1.1 Rozgar Evam Soochna Adhikar Abhiyan stir Mazdoor Satyagrah in Rajasthan

News Reports: Mazdoor Satyaghrah against NREGA Irregularities, Govt. offices found Empty during Survey, Labourers go on Indefinite Strike, Bid to Bring NREGA Wages on PAr with Minimum Wage

1.2 Social Audits in Araria by Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan - via Ashish Ranjan

1.2.1 Unemployment Allowance Secured for 800 workers after long-drawn struggle in Araria, Bihar [Note Attached]

1.2.2 Summary of Social Audit (May-June 2010) in Araria [Find Attached]

1.2.3 Update on Activities of JJSS (April-July 2010) and Appeal for Funds [Find Attached]

  1.3 Compensation for Delayed Wages at two places in Jharkhand

1.3.1 Compensation for Delayed Wages to 76 Workers in Manika Block, Latehar, Jharkhand - via James Herenj [Note and Photos Attached]

1.3.2 40 Workers Compensated with Rs 3000 per Worker for Delayed Payment in Topchanchi, Dhanbad [See communication by Gurjeet Singh below]

It brings me immense pleasure to inform that finally the legal battle has been won by the labourers of Gendnawadih village in Topchanchi block of distt. Dhanbad who had filed a case with the labour dept. for payment of compensation as their  wage payment was delayed after they had worked in desiltation of a pond under MNREGA.

The court had given notice to pay the maximum of Rs 9000 (Rs 3000 each for delay of three fortnights) to all the 40 labourers. After the plea by the officials, the fine was reduced to Rs 3000/- per worker.This amount was paid in cash to the labors in front of assistant labor commissioner Ajit Panna.Total amount of 1,20,000/ was paid by the officials.

1.4 PIL by PBKMS to Secure Wages in Accordance with the Notified Minimum Wages [Petition Attached]

A Public Interest Litigation filed by the Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity was taken for hearing today by the Hon’ble Division Bench comprising of the Hon’ble Chief Justice Jainarayan Patel and the Hon’ble Dr. Justice M. K. Chaudhuri and the Court directed the Learned Advocate General to submit a report by 27^th August. The Public Interest Litigation brings out the fact that though the minimum wage was fixed at Rs. 87.50 with effect from January 2009, the State Government went on paying Rs. 81 throughout the year depriving each workers Rs. 6.50 per day of work. Thus the State has deprived as much as Rs. 72 Crores to the workers during January 2009 to December 2009. The Petition also brings out that though the central Government asked the State to fix Rs. 100 as the wage for NREGA by April 2009, it was fixed only with effect from December 2009 and thereby again depriving the workers an amount of Rs. 19.

1.5 Murder of MNREGA Activist and leader of Voice of People (VOP) Hari Lal of District Kaushambi, U.P. at 12.00 Noon in his village Lahna, Block Manjhanpur district Kaushambi on Independence day, 15 August 2010 [PUCL Fact Finding Report Here] [Article Here]

1.6 39 Workers Demand Due Wages (totalling Rs. 59,400) and Compensation (Rs. 3000 per worker) in Chhatarpur, Palamu, Jharkhand (via James Herenj) [Letter to DC in Hindi attached]

1.7 76 Workers Denied Work under NREGA since August in Palamu, Jharkhand [See Note Attached] (Via James Herenj)

1.8 Issues in NREGA in Karnataka - Note by Nikhil Dey [See Attached]

2. Developments in Delhi

2.1 Bio-Metric Identification of NREGA Workers [PIB Press Release Here] [Article on UID by Reetika Khera Here]

3. NREGA in the Parliament

3.1 Complaints Regarding Employment in NREGA [PIB Press Release Here]
3.2 Research Report on feasibility of a Uniform Schedule of Rates in the States for NREGA [PIB Press Release Here]

4. CEGC Working Group Reports [Please find here. Responses from Ministry of Rural Development attached]

4.1 Working Group on Planning and Execution
4.2 Working Group on Wages
4.3 Working Group on Transparency and Accountability
4.4 Working Group on Special Needs of Specific Groups
4.5 Working Group on Works on Individual Lands

5. Important News and Media Articles

5.1 NREGA Funds for Sewa Kendras Draw Flak

5.2 NREGA Amendment (on Social Audits) Restricted the Scheme's Potential
5.3 Nodal Watchdog Needed for NREGA to Help the Poor: SC
5.4 CEGC Meeting Dissapointing, Minister Skirts Issues

5.5 No Guarantees Anymore

(Rozgar updates are regular updates on NREGA prepared by volunteers and circulated among organisations and individuals working on NREGA. The updates are currently being prepared by Aashish Gupta with advice from Jean Dreze and Reetika Khera. If you have any material to share for wide circulation, please send to roz...@gmail.com.)

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