The Hindu : Kerala News : NREGS makes rural poor happy

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Tuesday, Feb 12, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala

NREGS makes rural poor happy

They get regular work and good wages
Farmers’ suicides come down

Wayanad: The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), the flagship rural welfare scheme of the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre, is a dependable source of income for them, poor villagers in two districts of Kerala say, while officials claim that it has helped in mitigating farmers’ suicides.

The labourers, engaged under the NREGS, work at various sites in Palakkad and Wayanad districts, and local people’s representatives told a visiting team of journalists that they now get work regularly and earn good wages throughout the year.

“We are happy now because there is work and we get Rs.125 a day,” said Bhanumathy, a worker involved in digging a field canal at Noolpuzha panchayat in Wayanad.

“The wages come to us in 13 days. We are happy,” said Ammini, another woman.

Similar views were expressed by labourers working at other sites.

Extension sought

“We are happy that there is work and we get good wages,” said Sasi, a labourer engaged in digging a trench to prevent elephants from destroying crops in fields adjoining the Muthanga wildlife sanctuary.

Wayanad district witnessed the worst farmers’ suicides in Kerala, as many as 400, during 2004-05.

Asked about the suicides by agriculturists, A.K. Kumaran, president of the Noolpuzha panchayat, said such incidents have been almost nil after the NREGS was implemented.

While nine farmers committed suicide at Noolpuzha during 2004-05, only one farmer took such a step after the scheme was implemented in 2006, Mr. Kumaran said.

“The scheme has come as a boon for the poor labourers here. Though there are plantations here, their owners don’t engage labourers because they don’t get a good price for their produce,” he said.

Mr. Kumaran wanted the scheme to be extended to small and marginal farmers in the region as their landholdings are as small as half an acre.

In Palakkad

In Palakkad district also the labourers expressed satisfaction over getting work under the scheme.

“Earlier, we had work only during harvesting season. But there is enough work available now,” Rukmini, a labourer involved in desilting a tank at Koodumbu village, said.

Jaya, president of the village, said the scheme has become a definite source of income to the poor as most of the workers are agriculture labourers.

The scheme was started in the district in February 2006. District officials claim that the scheme has helped in providing livelihood to poor people, paying Rs.125 a day, which is the minimum wage as per the State government norms. — PTI

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