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print versionDay 21 of the NREGA Dharna: AADHAAR Nahi, Sudhaar Chahiye
It has been 3 weeks of the NREGA Dharna today - and the Ministry of rural Development (MoRD) continues to ignore workers’ grievances and refuses to meet with worker delegations. In addition to the demands of (i) immediate removal of the NMMS app, (ii) reversal of the order dated February 3, 2023 requiring all NREGA payments be made via the Aadhar Based Payment System (ABPS), and (iii) timely payment of wages and immediate release of wages that are pending for over a year, the workers from Jharkhand also highlighted how carelessness on the part of government officials caused distress for workers.
Hailing the tradition of protest which led to the formation of Jharkhand, Ramchandra Manjhi from West Singhbhum, Jharkhand, inspired his fellow workers to continue their protest. Manju Devi, Sandhya Kumari, and Sugya Devi highlighted the issues they had faced due to NMMS - their attendance had not been recorded correctly and they were not paid for the work they had done. Wilson Toppo, a NREGA worker from Latehar district, spoke about how incorrect details had been entered in his jobcard by the computer operator at the block, due to which he has not received full payment for the work he did in the last 3-4 months.
Prof. Jean Dreze and speakers from LibTech India discussed the newly-mandated ABPS system. They highlighted how under the new system, NREGA work could only be given to workers who had completed aadhaar seeding and aadhaar authentication. This is a very complex, technical process that even bankers and government officials do not understand, let alone NREGA workers. Secondly, wage payment can now only be made for workers who have completed their NPCI mapping - which is less than 50% of NREGA workers as per the MoRD’s own data. These interventions are in gross violation of the rights provided to workers under NREGA.
Workers also highlighted the inadequate funding in NREGA, comparing the paltry NREGA wages to the benefits given to the capitalist class in the country. Slogans were raised to increase NREGA wages to Rs. 800/day, which is the bare amount required to live a life of dignity. Jharkhands folk songs were also sung, focussing on the spirit of resistance and respect for ‘jal, jangal, zameen’ that has always been important to Jharkhand citizens.
On March 15, 2023, the MoRD released a statement acknowledging the difficulties faced under the mandatory ABPS system, and the NMMS app - finally an acknowledgement of workers’ troubles. However, the 15 day extension given by the statement is not even a little bit enough. The ABPS linking of 13 crores NREGA workers cannot be completed within this time. The mandatory ABPS must be abolished. The problems plaguing the ABPS are inherent to the system and will continue to plague NREGA workers. As is said in Jharkhand now, “NREGA karega, toh marega” - workers will be forced to leave the program if the MoRD continues to introduce such reforms, and turn a deaf ear to what workers actually want.
We invite you all to the dharna and request your support to spread the news and solidarity for the protest. For further information, please contact James (9852910778), Anuradha (9433002064), Apurva (9313759050), Sabhil (7587808159), Laavanya (9910746743), Richa (9452232663), Ashish (9973363664) or write to us at nrega.sangharsh.morcha[at]gmail.com.
