PMK wants NREGA extended to agri sector

PMK founder S Ramadoss today said Centre's flagship programme NREGA, assuring employment to rural people for a stipulated period, was weaning away agricultural labourers thereby affecting farming in the state, and demanded that it be extended to agriculture sector also.

"NREGA has attracted the agricultural labourers towards itself. Many persons have quit agriculture and taken to public works under the NREGA," he told reporters here.

Farmers in parts of the state were also taking up NREGA works, he said after releasing a 'Manifesto for Farmers in Tamil Nadu', jointly prepared by party allied units, Pasumai Thayagam and Tamil Nadu Uzhavar Periyakkam, a farmers' body.

The manifesto said while NREGA "hugely benefitted" Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and agricultural labourers, it, however, affected farmers, "already faced with debt," as they were affected by shortage of farm workers too. With a view to overcoming such a situation, the NREGA should be extended to the agricultural sector also, it said.

The government should directly pay wages to the family members of a farmer or those working in his field for a stipulated period under the NREGA which would benefit both the farmer as well as the farm labourers, the manifesto said.

He said agriculture was a source of livelihood for a majority of people in the state and asked the state government to take steps to make it more profitable.He demanded setting up a Farmers' Income Commission on the lines of Central Pay Commission wherein state government can directly pay wages to farmers and ensure higher support price for produce.