AGARTALA, August 20 (TIWN): Tripura today hiked wages for agricultural labourers as a part of the plan to approach the central government to raise the wages allowed to unskilled workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MG NREGS), official sources said.

A highly placed source in the Department for Rural Development (RD) today said that the state government increased wage rate of agriculture labourers vide a recent notification by Rs. 94. The wage rate hike would facilitate the Departments’ pursuits with the RD Ministry to raise minimum wages of NREGS to Rs. 200.

The Ministry for Rural Development decided earlier this year to increase wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme from an average of Rs 156.4 per man-day per day to Rs 174.3 for the 2014-15 financial year.

The Tripura Kshet Mazdoor Union welcomed the move of the state government and said that the decision would contribute to the development of the livelihood status of the poor population of the state.

The wage hike would be equal for male and female workers.