They also demand continuation of old age pension
DINDIGUL (Tamil Nadu): The All India Farmers’ Association has strongly condemned the Central government’s move to scale down allocation of grant for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and the inordinate delay in settling old age pension (OAP) to beneficiaries.
It has planned to campaign in all villages against the Centre from December 2 to 5 and lay a siege to taluk offices on January 20, 2015, demanding continuance of old age pension to beneficiaries. These 0decisions were taken at its State Council meeting held here on Friday.
Later talking to media persons, Periyakulam MLA and Association State president A. Lazar said the Centre proposed to cut grants for the MGNREGS to Rs.33,000 crore from Rs.40,000 crore per year. Similarly, the number of panchayat unions chosen for implementing the scheme was also cut to 2,500 from 6,378 across the country.
For example, it would be implemented only in 98 out 385 unions in the State. The MGNREGS would be implemented only in four out of 15 unions in Dindigul, three out of eight unions in Theni and four out of 14 unions each in Pudukottai and Thanjavur districts, he said.
The Centre had proposed to restrict the scheme only to most backward regions. Such a move would severely affect the livelihood activities of 90 lakh farmers, Mr Lazar noted.
The State government too did not offer old age pension to thousands of beneficiaries for the past three months. It also did not issue house pattas to thousands of poor people living in ‘poromboke’ land for a long time, he said.
Members of the association would campaign in all villages across the State against the Centre’s move and its impact on common man.
They would also lay siege to taluk offices demanding issuance of monthly pension to aged people and destitute widows, he added.
The Centre has proposed to restrict the MGNREGS only to most backward regions. Such a move would severely affect the livelihood of 90 lakh farmers