For the aged, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) comes as a relief, as they cannot take up labour-intensive work.
Gurajala Malla Reddy, 50, could not cultivate crop on his five-acre land in Nizampet in Sangareddy district as the bore-wells had dried up. He was forced to become a labourer as his physical condition did not allow him to take up something more intensive.
For the past seven weeks, he has been working under the MGNREGA at the Kuplan tank, earning ₹1,180 for 11 days’ work. He works from 6.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. “One can earn as much as ₹300 per day if they can carry paddy bags. I am not in a condition to do so due to my age, and hence am doing what I am doing now,” said Mr. Reddy.
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Another farmer, G. Balaram, said farming in the village was hit severely due to depleting groundwater. “Most of the residents of the village are labourers, and a majority of them turn up for work regularly,” he said.
On Thursday, 478 labourers turned up for work at the Kuplan tank, while 312 turned up at three other locations in the village for work under the MGNREGA. With a population of 6,931, according to the 2011 Census, the average attendance stood at 876.
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The district registered as many as 57,535 labourers under the scheme on Thursday, clocking in 21,50,449 man days. The median wage was ₹131.
“We are aiming to generate 25 lakh man days by the first week of June. While 80% of the wages are being paid in the first three days, the remaining is settled between seven to 15 days,” said V. Venkateswarlu, District Rural Development Officer.