RSS-affiliated union demands extension of MGNREGS to 200 days

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliate central trade union, demanded that the Centre extend the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for 200 days for each family from 100 now, include agriculture and allied sector work under the scheme and restore the old pension scheme.

In its pre-budget meeting with finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday, BMS general secretary Ravindra Himte demanded a five-fold increase in the minimum pension under the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS), 1995, to ₹5,000, along with enhancement of honorarium of scheme workers, especially for accredited social health activists as well as Anganwadi, Midday Meal Scheme and National Health Mission workers.

"The government must ensure provision of adequate funding for beedi and other unorganised sector welfare boards and a minimum monthly pension of ₹5,000 and variable dearness allowance along with benefits of Ayushman Bharat for all EPS 95 pensioners," the BMS said on Tuesday.