MGNREGA workers recruited for village works in Hisar

QUOTE: Jobs on rotation

“We have 118 MGNREGA workers in our village and all of them are being rotated every third day. They maintain social distancing. At present, the work to clean the canal is going on.”

Rajpal Singh, Piranwali village sarpanch

Tribune News Service

Hisar, May 1

Even as employment for labour class have adversely affected, the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme is providing a lifeline to rural workers.

Village panchayats said they were rationing works turn wise to the MGNREGA workers and keeping in view social-distancing guidelines due to Covid. Though the lockdown adversely affected the functioning for a few days, the requirement for workers to clean minor canals in the villages have turned out to be an opportunity for MGNREGA workers.

Sarpanch of Piranwali village Rajpal Singh said after some problems at the start of the lockdown period, works were now being allocated to the workers.

A government official said there was no break in the MGNREGA works and workers were getting adequate job opportunity. “On Friday, 4,260 workers were on the job at the worksites in the district. This has also been the average during the non-lockdown days,” he added.