The Hindu : Karnataka News : States can revise NREGS wage: Oscar

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Karnataka

Karnataka

States can revise NREGS wage: Oscar

Staff Reporter

KASARAGOD: The State government could take steps to get the minimum wages for workers under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme raised if the existing rate of Rs. 125 a day for labourers was not attractive in the context of high wages for manual labourers in the state, Union Labour Minister Oscar Fernandez said.

Speaking to reporters here on Saturday, Mr. Fernandez said the wages for works under NREGS in the State was fixed as per the suggestions of the State government. Referring to the general situation in the State where male workers were reluctant to register for works under NREGS, Mr. Fernandez said if the workers were finding the wages less attractive it could be raised. Different States had different minimum wages, he said.

The minimum wage for works under NREGS in Haryana and Delhi was Rs.135 while in some other States it was less than Rs.100 pointed out Mr. Fernandez. .

Later, inaugurating the State conference of Provident Fund Pensioners’ Association at Kasaragod Town Hall, Mr. Fernandez said he would try to work out a solution to the complaints raised by PF pensioners that many of them were getting meagre pensions of less than Rs. 10 a month. The scheme needed to be restructured, said the Minister. He said the meeting of board of trustees of the PF would be held on April 8 and he would look into the issue raised by pensioners after that.

Mr. Fernandez said the country needed social security schemes for the citizen like the ones in the West. Three schemes, Aaam Aadmi Bima Yojana, Swasthia Bima Yojana and Pension Scheme for workers over 65 who retired from the unorganised sector would be implemented from April 1.

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