The Karnataka High Court recently ruled that wages under MGNREGA should at least be equal to the notified farm wages. The ruling would result in additional expenditure of Rs 900 crore per year for UPA, a burden which is nudging the rural development ministry to seek an appeal.
While a judicial challenge runs the risk of painting the Centre as thwarting a better deal for workers, the details about "culprit states" which have pegged job scheme wages lower than farm wages has deepened the fear of backlash in Congress. Five of the six states have Congress in power -- Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Goa and Mizoram. The other is BJP-ruled Karnataka.
Congress leadership is wary of its repercussions as it would send a message that Centre was subverting higher wages for poor workers engaged in hard labour. Sources said RD minister Jairam Ramesh is against appealing the court order and is pushing for implementation of the verdict. He has proposed that works under MGNREGA be added to the Minimum Wages Act to ensure wage parity as demanded by the HC.
Sources said example of Congress regimes failing the workers would severely neutralize the advantage the ruling party enjoys among rural poor for promulgating the job scheme. "Congress would be an easy target," a leader said.
The apprehensions of Congress landing on the wrong side of "aam aadmi" come on the back of similar controversy over 'poverty line'. Political rivals and activists pushed Congress on the back foot after Planning Commission told the Supreme Court that an individual spending over Rs 32 daily was above 'poverty line', a stand which triggered a shrill row.
That these fears are not misplaced has been shown by activist Aruna Roy who last week wrote to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to get the HC verdict implemented. The National Advisory Council has also expressed concern over the issue to the ministry.
The HC order came on a petition which challenged the job scheme wages in Karnataka at Rs 82 when farm wages stood at Rs 125 in 2009. The job wages were later revised to Rs 100 but stayed below farm wages of Rs 134.
