Telangana News

A huge demand for securing the job cards under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act scheme, is witnessed in Telangana rural areas.

After demonetization decision was announced, there is "reverse migration" of the laborers from urban areas, as there is little work in the cities. This raised the demand for NREGA, where the workers are guaranteed 100 days of employment a year at Rs 194 per day.

According to the NREGA Act, if a job seeker does not get employment within 15 days of applying for it, the government must pay him/ her unemployment allowance, which is one-fourth the wage rate.

This has stopped the government from enrolling workers. Besides, it already owes wage arrears to workers for six months. The gram panchayats have said they cannot afford new job seekers.

Within 15 days after submission of the applications, Panchayat raj officials said, the cards are supposed to be issued, but were kept on hold, following 'oral instructions' from the government not to issue any fresh cards.

"We have never witnessed this kind of situation. Every day, around 100 to 150 fresh applications are being received from every Mandal, which shows how the demonetization has impacted the livelihood of migrant laborers in urban areas," said a Panchayat Raj official.