Trade union wants Rs.300 wages for rural jobs scheme

New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS) The new executive committee of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) Wednesday sought minimum wages of Rs.300 for labourers engaged in the central government's rural job scheme.

"We demand appointment of anti-corruption observers for MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) and enhanced minimum wages of Rs.300 daily for the workers," Ashok Choudhry, president of the pro-United Progressive Alliance (UPA) faction of the INTUC, told reporters here.

He said the group will campaign for Congress candidates in the ongoing Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

Choudhry claimed he was elected president during the INTUC national convention held in Hyderabad Jan 17-18. He replaced Sanjeeva Reddy, who had been heading the group for several years.

Choudhry alleged that Reddy did not belong to the INTUC as he supported calls for protest against the economic policies of the UPA government Feb 28, in which trade unions supported by the Left parties were participating.

He said the trade union had recently submitted memoranda to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi listing its demands.

Other demands of the INTUC include enhanced benefits for contract workers and labour participation in the managment of those units which have got land allotted from the government.