Govt contemplating DA under MNREGA: Rawat

The Centre  is contemplating to give two instalments of DA to workers employed under national flagship scheme MNREGA on the pattern of DA paid to government employees and increase the guaranted job days from 100 to 150, Union Minister of State for Labour Harish Rawat said today.

Talking to mediapersons here, he said more programmes like water harvesting would be covered under MNREGA.

Rawat said government was actively considering bringing Minimum Wage Legislation and amend the Central Labour Regulation and Abolition Act and registration of laboures and contractors would be mandatory under the new laws.

The union government was also in process of filling 6 lakh newly created vacant posts in the country and targeted to provide job opportunities to 5.80 crore new beneficiaries, he said adding 6.86 crore jobs opportunity had already been provided under MNREGA in the country.

Rawat said government was committed to ensuring minimum wages to 48 crore-odd workers, out of which 94 per cent were in the unorganized sector.

He said that in order to protect the interests of workers in unorganised sector and ensure them minimum wages, the government would enact the minimum wages statues, amend the existing labour laws and also bring new legislations.

Urging the state governments to notify more hospital under Employee Insurance Scheme (ESI), he said the Labour Ministry was implementing the scheme on a priority basis.