Telangana government gives instructions to protect NREG workers in summer

Hyderabad: The Rural Development department has issued instructions to the officials of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (MGNREG) on the steps to be taken to protect the wage seekers in the summer.

The works of the MGNREG are going on in the villages though shut down has been announced in the State due to coronavirus as the poor people have no other recourse than NREG works to get income in the villages.

As farm works have been completed in the villages, the daily wage earners have to eventually depend on the NREG works to eke out life. As the summer season has entered second month, the officials have issued instructions for the protection of the wage seekers.

The summer protection to wage seekers has to be provided till end of June. Already the government has issued instructions on giving summer incentive to the NREG workers.

At present the wage seekers are given Rs 211 per day and the Centre has added Rs 26 to it in view of coronavirus spread taking the total to Rs 237 per day.

At the same time, summer allowance of Rs 20 is also added and with this and the total amount reached to Rs 257 per day in this month.

The officials have made it clear that the works should be done in the morning from 6 am to 10 am and in afternoon from 4 pm to 6 pm in view of raising day temperatures.

The allowance of drinking water is raised from Rs 2.50 to Rs 5 per day so that each worker could get about five liters of water every day. The workers have been directed to carry five liters of water with them to the workplace.

Tents should be provided for shade at the work place to enable the workers to take rest in the day time. The field assistants have been instructed to take ORS packets to the work places for the benefit of workers. The workers, who fall sick due to heat, should be shifted to the nearest hospital immediately.

The works of NREG have been picking up momentum in this week as the field assistants, who have gone on strike from March 12, have returned to work two days ago.

The officials are expecting that thousands of rural labour would use NREG works to get income and they have instructed the staff of the scheme to take precautions for the wellbeing of wage seekers.