Invite: NREGA Dharna (Jantar Mantar Delhi) AND press note from yesterday's press conference

[NREGA Sangharsh Morcha]

THE PRESS NOTE FROM YESTERDAY'S PRESS CONFERENCE IS ATTACHED.

Hundreds of workers of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and their supports will gather at Jantar Mantar Delhi on 11-15 September under the banner of NREGA Sangharsh Morcha. They will agitate against the long delays in wage payments, stagnation of wages, routine violations of workers’ legal rights and demand strict implementation of the Act and also an expansion of entitlements.

11 September

Inaugural session of the dharna (12:00 – 3:00)

Key speakers: Ashim Roy (New Trade Union Initiative) and Sudha Bhardwaj (New Trade Union Initiative, People’s Union for Civil Liberties Chhattisgarh and Pragatisheel Cement Shramik Sangh)

Press conference at the Indian Women Press Corps (3:00 onwards)

Annie Raja (National Federation of India Women), Anuradha Talwar (Pashchim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samiti), Dakhu Devi (NREGA worker from Rajasthan), Gangaram Paikra (Chhattisgarh Kisan Mazdoor Andolan), Nikhil Dey (Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan), Phulwa (NREGA worker from Uttar Pradesh) and Richa Singh (Sangtin Samooh)

12 September

Overview of 11 years of NREGA and discussion on dharna’s charter of demands (10:00 – 1:30)

Key speakers: Anuradha Talwar (Pashchim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samiti), Arundhati Dhuru (National Alliance for People’s Movements), Dunu Roy (Hazards Centre), Himanshu (Jawahar Lal University), Jean Drèze (Ranchi University) and Nikhil Dey (Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan)

Going to political party offices with the charter of demands (2:30 – 4:30)

13 September

Implementation of National Food Security Act and threat of cash transfers (9:30 – 11:00), situation of tea gardens workers and blocking of rations to Darjeeling (11:00 – 11:40), social security pensions (11:45 – 12:30), maternity entitlements (12:30 – 2:00) and impact of Aadhaar on welfare and civil liberties (3:00 – 5:30)

Key speakers: Ananya Bhattacharjee (New Trade Union Initiative), Jerome Lakra (tea workers’ organisation), Kavita Krishnan (All India Progressive Women’s Association), Kavita Srivastava (Right to Food Campaign), Mandvi Devi (Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan), Reetika Khera (Indian Institute of Technology), Stuti Thami (Nari Morcha) and Yogendra Yadav (Swaraj Abhiyan)

14 September

Workers’ struggles and other achievements of NREGA (10:00 -1:00)

Key speakers: Aruna Roy (Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan), James Herenj (NREGA Watch) and Jitendra Paswan (Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan and National Alliance for People’s Movements)

Demonstration (3:00 - 5:00)

15 September

Demonstration (10:00 onwards)

Leaders of political parties will be invited to speak between 10:00 – 12:00 on 12, 13 and 14 September.

For further information, please write at nrega.sangh...@gmail.com or call Ankita Aggarwal (9818603009) or Farah Zia (9560511667). Follow the dharna on Twitter (twitter.com/NREGA_Sangharsh) and Facebook (facebook.com/NREGASangharshMorcha).

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