Rural job scheme fails to stop migration in Bhilwara
BHILWARA: The Union government’s flagship programme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has created an additional source of income for families in rural areas, but failed to check migration of youths due to non-availability of employment round the year.
The job scheme is attracting mostly women and elderly of the below poverty line (BPL) families, as they take it as a source of additional income whenever they are free from agricultural activities.
The youth, however, prefers to take up the job opportunities available in local industries or in other states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Nearly 30 percent youths of Asind, Sahada and Raipur block in Bhilwara district have migrated to other state for a full time job. “I am working in a cotton dying processing industry in Ahmedabad. MGNREGA is a good scheme, but we can’t sustain with only 100 days of work, which too is not completely available to everyone in village. I am earning `320 per day and getting my wages on 8th of every month timely,” said Ram Chandra Bairwa, 33, resident of Indrapura village in Bhilwara district. He said-his younger brother Radha Kishan works in a local brick kiln factory, but his parents work in projects under MGNREGA for whatever mandays of employment is provided to them by the authorities.
His parents have not been able to complete 100 days of employment in a single year during the last five years, Bairwa told HT. Gopal Kumhar, 40, resident of Baran village, claimed though he had got 100 days of work under the government job scheme, but he could not earn `100 on any single day. He said his daily average wages during the period was `70.
Zila Parishad chief executive officer Ram Pal Sharma agreed that villagers were better paid in jobs other than under MGNREGA.
According to government records, 1.30 lakh people were provided jobs under the MGNREGA in Bhilwara district in 2011, but the number declined in subsequent years with 87,825 labourers employed in 2012, 77,197 in 2013 and 69,153 last year.
Bhilwara district collector Teena Kumar said the offcials attached with the MGNREGA work have been asked to create new jobs in gram panchayats and also at places near to the villagers to benefits more villagers under the job scheme.