PVTGs Protest Against Non-Payment of MGNREGA Wages

 Visakhapatnam: Members of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) holding belonging to Ajayapuram village in Cheemalapadu panchayat of Ravikamatham mandal in Anakapalli district have staged a protest over not being paid their entire amount of MGNREGA wages.

Livelihoods of tribal families in Ajayapuram village are tied to working in cashew plantations. However, pests have decimated the cashew crop, leading to 45 villagers turning up for MGNREGA work for sustenance.

They say they have worked for the entire six days of the week on MGNREGA tasks daily from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. But they have got payment for only four days.

In protest, the PVTG workers staged a protest at the Cheemalapadu panchayat holding spades and rakes, demanding that they be paid MGNREGA wages for all six days of the week.

Andhra Pradesh Girijana Sangham district presidents Pangi Chandraiah and Pangi Vijay Kumar have warned that if their demand is not met by June 10, they will escalate their protest by holding a demonstration at the Mandal Development Office.

Andhra Pradesh Adivasi Girijana 5th Schedule Sadhana Committee honorary president K. Rao participated in the protest by MGNREGA workers.