Farm workers protest in Amalapuram demanding wage arrears, reforms

Andhra Pradesh: Hundreds of agricultural workers staged a dharna at the Amalapuram District Collector’s Office on Monday, demanding immediate payment of pending wages under the Employment Guarantee Scheme and stronger labour welfare measures.

Protest highlights wage arrears and financial distress

The protest, organized by the Andhra Pradesh Agricultural Workers’ Union, saw a large turnout of workers demanding the immediate release of Rs 55 crore in pending wages. State Vice President Kaarem Venkateswara Rao said that workers have not been paid even a single day’s wages for the past six weeks, pushing them into severe hardship.

Fears over scheme withdrawal

Kaarem also voiced alarm over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s past remarks indicating the possible scrapping of the Employment Guarantee Scheme. He alleged that village landlords are echoing the same sentiment, which could spell disaster for the rural workforce. He vowed to fight against any such move.

Key demands raised by workers

The union put forward several critical demands:

Increase in workdays to 200 under the scheme
Hike in wage rate to Rs 600 per day
Reintroduction of payslips for transparency
Insurance of Rs 5 lakh for accidental deaths
Provision of basic amenities such as medikits, tents, and drinking water (earth-work tools as well)
Removal of forced waiting hours after completion of work
Early dismissal by 11 am without second muster call
Pension of Rs 6,000 for six months, as promised before elections

Support from YSRCP leadership

YSRCP District President Chirla Jaggi Reddy extended support to the workers and assured that the party would urge the government to release wages immediately. He backed the union’s demands and called for urgent attention to labour welfare.

Petition submitted to authorities

Following the dharna, a petition outlining all demands was submitted to the District Collectorate during the public grievance session.

Several district leaders from the Agricultural Workers’ Association, including G. Daivakrupa, P Shiva, Pettaananda Rao, Ananthalakshmi, Beera Venkat Rao, and others participated in the protest.