Farmers demand streamlining 100-day job scheme to increase labour force

According to the president of the Vellore unit, K Raja, “Based on Aadi rain, which is from mid-July to mid-August, a total of 27,000 hectares (67,500 acres) of groundnut crops are sown in the district. As the crop is ready for weeding, farmers are worried that there are no labourers as many of them have opted for this scheme.”

Recently, K Raja gave a petition to the district Collector A Shanmugasundaram, in this regard and was directed to approach the Department of Rural Development (RD) to solve the problem.

“RD department officials have failed to understand the issue though we explained it to them and hence our visit was a failure,” said Balaraman, a farmer. Elaborating on the issue, Raja said, “In the 100-day scheme, the beneficiary gets work only for eight days a month.” The association along with Raja requested the officials to allot the labourers work every month in specific dates (1-4) and (16-20) so that they can return to the agricultural work. “This will enable the beneficiary get more remuneration.” Raja added. The groundnut crop in the district is a 120-day process and the harvest is expected in another two months and labourers including women will be needed for harvesting the produce.

The State secretary of the association, CJ Dhanapal, said, “A beneficiary gets around Rs 200 from the job scheme. If they work on a farm, where only women labourers are used, they get Rs 150 along with food while other workers get Rs 220 a day.” District secretary Varunakumar said that an acre needs a minimum of 40 workers and the numbers may increase if the farming area is vast. “If our suggestion of streamlining the scheme is followed, it will ensure that beneficiaries get more work every month at the same time and also providing the farmers with sufficient labourers,” Dhanapal added.