Maharashtra Minister Bharat Gogawale Holds High-Level Meeting On MGNREGA Reforms, Welfare Demands Raised By Bachchu Kadu

A high-level joint meeting was convened at the Mantralaya to discuss various pressing demands concerning farmers, agricultural labourers, persons with disabilities, widowed women, unemployed youth, shepherds, and fisherfolk. The meeting was chaired by Bharat Gogawale, Minister for Employment Guarantee Scheme, Horticulture, and Saline Land Development.

The meeting was organized in response to a memorandum submitted by former Minister of State Omprakash alias Bachchu Kadu, who also participated in the discussion via video conferencing. Present at the meeting were MGNREGA Commissioner Dr. Bharat Bastewad, Additional Secretary of the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) Department Atul Kode, Deputy Secretary Arvind Pagar, Deputy Secretary of the Animal Husbandry Department Mr. Marale, Deputy Secretary of the Department for Welfare of Persons with Disabilities Sunanda Ghadyale, along with other senior officials from various departments.

During the meeting, Bachchu Kadu raised several key demands, including the inclusion of all farming-related wage activities—from sowing to harvesting—under MGNREGA. He also proposed linking fruit cultivation and dairy farming with the employment guarantee scheme, increasing the daily wage rate under MGNREGA from ₹312 to ₹500, and providing a monthly honorarium of ₹6,000 to disabled persons and widowed women.

Minister Bharat Gogawale gave a positive response to the demands and assured that discussions would be held with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and other concerned ministers. He said that a policy-level decision will be taken after considering their feedback.

At the beginning of the meeting, Minister Gogawale inquired about Mr. Bachchu Kadu’s health and assured him that the state government is viewing these demands with a positive outlook.

news