Social Issues

APAL Union urges focus on manual labor in Employment Guarantee Scheme, warns against machinery use

By Doruvu Paul Jagan Babu:Bureau Chief

Andhra Pradesh: In a significant move, the Andhra Pradesh Agricultural Labour Union, led by state president Dadala Subbarao, has voiced strong opposition to increasing the material component in employment guarantee works, advocating instead for a focus on labour-intensive projects. The union emphasized the need for gram sabhas to identify works that can primarily be done by labourers, ensuring that employment opportunities are maximized for rural workers.

Importance of Employment Guarantee Scheme

The Employment Guarantee Scheme, a critical safety net for rural labourers, aims to provide jobs during off-seasons when agricultural work is scarce. Established in response to widespread poverty, the scheme ensures financial support to millions of families across the country. Subbarao highlighted the scheme’s role in boosting the rural economy, noting that wages earned by workers are reinvested in the market, ultimately benefiting the government through tax revenues.

Demands of APAL Union

During a meeting at Dr. B R Ambedkar Konaseema District office, Subbarao articulated the union’s demand that at least 60 percent of identified works should be labour-intensive, with minimal reliance on materials like cement and concrete. He stressed that only 40 percent of the works should involve material components, to prevent depriving laborers of job opportunities.

The union also called for specific projects under the scheme, such as leveling plots purchased for the poor, improving graveyards, and modernizing fresh water ponds and agricultural canals. These works, the union argued, are vital for the infrastructure development of villages and should be carried out by labourers, not machines.

Warnings against machinery use

Subbarao issued a stern warning to the government, criticizing the increasing use of cement concrete machines under the guise of village infrastructure development. He argued that this approach is contrary to the scheme’s original purpose, which is to provide employment to rural workers, not to replace them with machinery. The union insists that using machines for building roads and constructing facilities undermines the essence of the Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Call to action

State Vice President Kaarem Venkateswara Rao added that traditional labour-intensive tasks like earthwork and jungle clearance should be reinstated in the scheme. He also called for a substantial increase in funding, with a demand for the allocation of Rs 2.5 lakh crore nationwide. Kaarem pointed out that, despite recent payments, significant wage arrears remain, particularly in the Konaseema district.

The Agricultural Labour Union’s strong stance on prioritizing manual labour in the Employment Guarantee Scheme reflects a broader concern for the welfare of rural workers. As gram sabhas prepare to identify new projects across 13,000 gram panchayats on 23 as per the recommendations of Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, the union’s demands and warnings serve as a crucial reminder of the scheme’s original intent—to ensure that the poorest communities have access to meaningful employment.

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