Chandigarh, December 30: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators on Monday took a symbolic yet forceful step to highlight the concerns of over 10 lakh MGNREGA worker families in Punjab, carrying lakhs of letters written by rural labourers to the special session of the Punjab Assembly.
The letters, penned by workers employed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), detail delays in wage payments, lack of timely work and hardships faced by rural households dependent on the scheme for livelihood. A group of MGNREGA workers was also present in the Assembly during the session.
The Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government said the letters would not remain confined to the Assembly and would be forwarded to the Prime Minister to draw the Centre’s attention to the ground realities faced by workers in the state. The move aims to press for the timely release of MGNREGA funds and resolution of long-pending issues affecting implementation of the scheme.
According to the state government, delays in the release of central funds have resulted in wage backlogs and interruptions in work allocation, leaving many families without income for extended periods. Workers have complained that irregular payments and uncertainty of employment have severely impacted their daily survival.
AAP leaders said the initiative was intended to amplify the voices of rural labourers and build pressure on the Central government to ensure uninterrupted funding and timely disbursal of wages. They reiterated that the state government would continue to advocate for the rights and entitlements of MGNREGA workers.
