40 core more person days generated under MGNREGA in 2023-24 - hints rural distress intensifies - inequality grows-
Job opportunities in cities not returned to pre-pandemic level
' Ache Din' only for corporate houses and their Intermediaries, affluent sections-
Expose ‘Vikasit Bharat’ rhetoric
New Delhi: April 7, Desh Click News
The MGNREGS has generated 40 crore personal days of work more than the pre-pandemic (2019-20) level exposes the intensifying rural distress and acute unemployment in the country under the BJP rule. As on March 31, 2024, 305.2 crore person days generated under the distress labour scheme compared to 265.3 crore in 2019-20, the pre-pandemic year. The unskilled or semi-skilled workers constitute the migrant labour force that depends on wages in the construction sector and similar employment in towns and cities. The fresh data divulges the cities may not have returned to normal for the rural workforce after the pandemic years.
The main plank of BJP and Modi in the Lok Sabha election campaign is the "Vikasit Bharat" narration of India has been heading to become a five trillion economy surging to the third rank after US and China. The GDP growth and the size of the economy do not mean the life of ordinary people is safe and flourishing. As per the per capita income India ranks 143rd out of 195 countries but BJP is silent on this fact.
The Oxfam India report has stated the top 1% people own 40.5% of the total wealth of the country and the bottom 50% means 70 crore people have around 3% of the wealth. This is the extreme inequality that prevails in society. There are 11 crore farmers depending on agriculture. Out of the total work force of 45 crore people, only 3.7 crore are in the organized sector. The remaining huge work forces are not even getting the minimum wage and struggle hard to make the two ends meet.
The farm workers in BJP ruled state of Madhya Pradesh get the least daily wage of Rs.229.2 while the national average is Rs. 345.30 and Kerala provides Rs. 764.30. If the farm worker gets 25 days’ work the monthly income in Kerala will be Rs.19107 while in MP only Rs. 5730. These are the real issues due to which the farmers and workers are facing indebtedness, acute unemployment and poverty in rural India. But the BJP rhetoric of ‘Vikasit India’ is silent on the livelihood issues of the people.
Though the agrarian crisis is getting intensified, the Modi Government has denied MSP@C2+50% to farmers. On the other hand the asset of Reliance group owned by Ambani has been increased from Rs.1, 67,000 crore in 2014 to Rs. 8,03, 000 crore in 2023. 'Ache Din' is only for the corporate houses and their intermediaries and the top 10% of the people who have access to wealth. SKM appeals to the people of rural India to undertake the burning issue of the acute agrarian crisis in the election debate to expose, oppose, punish BJP- the agent of the corporate forces.