The Centre has turned down the Tamil Nadu State government's proposal for a recess to the implementation of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) during agricultural season.
The reason adduced by the sector is that a substantial work force which would, otherwise, have been available for the agricultural work, takes up MGNREGS work.
An official said that the Centre did not agree with this reasoning as no person was prevented from going for agricultural work. Moreover, when the agricultural work was likely to fetch higher wages, those genuinely interested would take to it.
Another factor that weighed with the Central authorities, according to the official, was that an amendment had to be made to the law governing the scheme, if the proposal were to be seriously considered.
