Press Note

Mazdoor Haq Yatra Begins

Jaipur 15th September: The Mazdoor Haq Yatra began in Rajasthan began in four
different divisions (Kota, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Ajmer) with the demand to increase
minimum wages in light of the rising prices as well as to ensure effective
implementation of the MGNREGA. The truck yatra is being organized under the banner
of the Suchna Evum Rozgar Adhikar (SR) Abhiyan . The Yatra will cover 22 districts in
the four divisions and culminate at Statue Circle in Jaipur on 2nd October 2010 with a call
for an indefinite dharna by MGNREGA workers.

It is shocking that minimum wage in Rajasthan has remained at Rs. 100 over the past
three years, while prices of basic food items have sharply increased with basic items now
costing three times as much. The impact of such sharp increase is obvious as workers and
farmers have been compelled to cut their food expenses drastically. On the other hand
salaries of government officials and employees have more than doubled. This calls for a
unanimous demand by workers and people’s campaigns and groups working with
workers to demand that minimum wages be increased! This is one of the critical focuses
of the Yatra, which will discuss the demand for raising minimum wages with workers
and villagers as it travels from village to village in all twenty two districts in the four
divisions.

Each truck has approximately 20-25 people. The Yatra will cover:

• In Kota, four districts - Jhalawar, Bundi, Bara and Kota.

• In Jodhpur, seven districts – Jodhpur, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Nagor, Bikaner, Churu
and Sikar will be covered.
•
The Yatra was flagged off today from the district head quarter and will arrive in Shergarh
by tonight and will head for Barmer tomorrow morning. Members of Dalit Adhikar
Network, Lok Adhikar Network and Kalyan Sewa Samiti joined the yatra.

• In Udaipur division, eight districts - Chhitorgarh, Udaipur, Pali, Sirohi,

Dungarpur, Banswara, Rajsamand and Pratapgarh will be covered.
•
In Udaipur district the Yatra was flagged off from Girva tehsil. Shyamlal an activist of
the SR Abhiyan led the yatra with slogans demanding that minimum wages be increased
to match the rising prices. Members traveling with this team will organize a meeting with
villagers of Kaya, Barapal, Jawar and Padnu villages.

RD Vyas, Richa Audichya, Bhanwar Meghwanshi

(On behalf of the SR Abhiyan)