In harvest time, MGNREGA faces shortage of workers

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 21

Thanks to the harvesting season, work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in various villages of Ludhiana district has been stalled. Labourers are engaged in harvesting of the wheat crop these days instead of carrying working on the MGNREGA projects.

As a result, the work, including cleaning of ponds and making parks, has stopped mid-way in several villages.

Labourers prefer harvesting the crop instead of working for MGNREGA projects because they get wages by end of the day.

“Instead of having to wait for payments, which sometimes take around a month or more through bank, it is better to earn by harvesting wheat as one gets the amount same evening,” said Gurdeep Kaur, a MGNREGA worker.

“The payment comes after work is complete under MGNREGA. Even the condition of 100 days guaranteed work is not fulfilled,” said Hardev Singh, another worker.

“So, even if MGNREGA work is stopped for a few days, it doesn’t matter to us because we need money. And if we don’t harvest the crop then we will be losing out this money for sure. Some other projects can start later even if I don’t work under MGNREGA,” he added.

“The projects, including making of parks, have stopped due to shortage of workers because of the ongoing harvesting season. But it will not last long. Workers will start getting back to work for projects within 10 days as the harvesting season will over,” said Sandeep, a MGNREGA staff member.