Focus on agriculture in rural job scheme, directs rights panel

Kerala State Human Rights Commission Chairperson Alexander Thomas has called for greater emphasis on agriculture under the employment guarantee scheme.

Considering a complaint submitted by Rajamma Sadanandan, a native of Thekkumala, the commission urged that works that help convert fallow land into cultivable land should be undertaken under the scheme to promote the agricultural sector. Directions in this regard were issued to the Principal Secretary of the Local Self Government department.

The petitioner had sought according priority to agriculture under the employment guarantee programme to facilitate the production of pesticide-free food grains.

A report from the Principal Secretary, meanwhile, stated that since the scheme was centrally sponsored, it could be implemented only in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Rural Development. The report noted that up to 60 percent of works under the scheme could be related to agriculture. Activities such as digging ponds required for farming can also be undertaken. It further clarified that non repetitive land development works that make fallow land suitable for cultivation are permissible under the scheme.