With the Covid-19 pandemic having hit rural employment, the state government is now making efforts to activate jobs under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in all districts.
“We have already commenced works under the scheme in different parts of the state. However, it is low key at the moment. We will expedite it at the earliest,” Rural Development & Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Principal Secretary L K Atheeq said.
With the first installment of MGNREGS funds (Rs 1,861 crore) for this year having been credited by the Centre recently, there was no shortage of wages and it would be paid within 15 days of work, Atheeq added.
Owing to the absence of demand for work in the wake of the lockdown, many who were dependent on the rural employment scheme have been unemployed for close to a month now.
Focus areas
Considering the low demand for work, the government is making attempts to activate jobs in the areas of water conservation, construction of cattle sheds, forestry and preparing the ground for horticulture.
Also, the government owed dues to labourers for previous works executed. The pending wages would be paid to everyone within the next four days, Atheeq said. “We have already begun payments," he added.
The government should ensure that its plans translate into reality at the ground level, S D Baligar, executive director of Vanasiri Rural Development Society, Haveri, said. “The rations provided by the government do not cover all essentials. We urge the government to create employment and pay wages. Otherwise, the situation will turn grim over the next fortnight,” he pointed out.
Vishwasagar R, director at Vimukti Vidya Samsthe, Chitradurga, which works closely with labourers at the grassroots level, said the government must instruct gram panchayats to prioritise the issue.
"Unless gram panchayats are directed to conduct gram sabhas for identifying jobs that could be taken up with effective social distancing, it will be difficult to create employment at the ground level," he felt.
Last week, RDPR Minister K S Eshwarappa had announced that the Centre had released Rs 1,861 crore of MGNREGS funds. Of this, Rs 1,039 crore will go towards paying pending dues. The rest of the money is expected to be utilised for new works under the scheme.