Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah has been forced to write to the Prime Minister in the wake of the MORD not complying with the orders of the A.P. High Court suspending the operation of Section 6 (1) of MGNREGA which proposed a different and lesser wage rate for works compared to the Minimum Wages Act. Mr. Rosaiah brought to the notice of the Prime Minister that he had sent a copy of the High Court’s order pronounced on July 3, 2009, to the MORD on August 12, 2009. And, since the latter had not challenged it in an appellate court, the HC’s order has become final.
He did not hide his discomfiture over the MORD’s ineptitude in not honouring the Court’s order saying that “non compliance of the orders which have become final would, apart from inviting contempt of courts, cause embarrassment to the government.” Mr. Rosaiah’s reference to “embarrassment of the government” is with respect to the Central government as he pointed out that the Government of India was the agency to pay wages as per Section 22 (1)(a) of MGNREG Act. He requested the Prime Minister to ensure that that the MORD took an expeditious decision in the matter and pay the differential of the wages paid since July 2, 2009 to the wage seekers.
Mr. Rosaiah demanded that the Centre release immediately Rs. 1,000 on this account to Andhra Pradesh, besides revising the labour Budget for the State based on the revised wage calculation.
Mr. Rosaiah is the second Congress Chief Minister after his Rajasthan counterpart Ashok Gehlot to rake up the demand for raising the wage employment rate.