Govt urged to withdraw plan

Khammam: The representatives of the All India Agricultural workers Union (AIAWU) and Telangana Metla Sangham (TMS) demanded that the government take back the decision of withdrawing Supervisors (called as Metlu) of Employment Guarantee Scheme here on Monday.

They staged a dharna here at dharna Chowk in front of the Collectorate in Khammam. Speaking at the dharna, District General Secretary of AIAWU Vedagiri Srinivas Rao condemned the government decision of withdrawing Metlu of Employment Guarantee Scheme and added that Metlu play a key role in implementing the EGS works under village panchayats without them it will difficult to carry out works with ease.

The government in the past had introduced the Metlu system, with highly educated people, to implement the EGS works transparently. But, the present Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government is trying to dissolve the Metlu system which may hinder the works, he said.

Every year the supervisors play a key role in identifying the works under EGS. They also coordinate with the workers in a group by supervising the works. Many poor workers living in villages will be affected if the Metlu system is dissolved, he added.

He demanded that the government take back the decision of withdrawal of Metlu system for the sake of workers who are dependent on them. Later, the representatives of the AIAWU and TMS handed over the representation to District Collector D S Lokesh Kumar.

The President of AIAWU Battula Lenin, K Narasaiah, the Telangana Metlu Sangham Leaders P Sangaiah, G Rattamma, Janaki Ramulu, G Sathyanarayana, V Nageshwar Rao, R Venkatrami Reddy, A Bhadramma, J Sujatha, A Upendar and Veera Swamy were present along with others.