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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Rural jobs scheme a unifying factor too by K Balchand

Rural jobs scheme a unifying factor too by K Balchand

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published Published on Feb 3, 2011   modified Modified on Feb 3, 2011
It has served as a tool to ease tension in Kandhamal and ethnic conflict among Manipur's tribal groups

Officials rewarded for ingenuity at function celebrating completion of five years of MGNREGS

Eight District Magistrates from across India rewarded for efforts in their respective districts

Pepping up the rural economy, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is also a magic wand for reducing tensions and forging social unity and bonding family structures.

This is how officials have evolved the scope of the Act, and the country rewarded their ingenuity at a function here celebrating the completion of five years of this job guarantee scheme. Both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi graced the occasion. Standing out amid the celebrations are some remarkable success stories where the MGNREGS served as a tool to ease social tension as in Orissa's Kandhamal or resolving ethnic conflict among the tribal groups in Manipur and restoration of harmony, which in turn resulted in successful implementation of the scheme in these regions.

Besides these officials, eight District Magistrates from across the country were rewarded for their efforts in their respective districts.

Christmas passed peacefully in the tribal-dominated Kandhamal district in 2009 and 2010, in contrast to the violence witnessed in earlier parts of the decade following the murder of Australian missionary Graham Steins, pointed out District Magistrate Krishna Kumar. The conflict in the region stemmed implementation of the Act, and a turnaround was brought about, again, by using this scheme to mobilise people. Youth from the two warring groups that had led to incidents of women being set ablaze and people murdered were brought together at the worksite and made to work together. The issues of tribals were also addressed to counter the impact of Left-wing extremism.

Convergence of other Central schemes, including forest rights of tribals, led to creation of assets at the individual level, raising their annual income by at least 65 per cent. The social outcome was the peaceful Christmas celebrations this time.

A similar strategy was adopted in Manipur's Churachandpur district, that shares a long border with Burma, and suffers a seething problem of insurgency and ethnic clashes. The tribes don't see eye to eye with each other, there is constant migration of the population and with over 13 underground outfits thriving in the district, some 50 villages have been razed to the ground.

District Magistrate Jacintha Lazarus maintained that MGNREGS proved to be a boon and the chiefs of 64 villages, who worked at cross-purpose, were brought to the table and made to work together. The result was the issuing of 12,000 job cards and planting of about two lakh saplings in just over a month and a half. The Manipur Government has decided to adopt the same model in the other eight districts.

“It is making an impact. I'm not saying that people have totally moved away from militancy. They are now working, unlike in the past, burying their compartment tight tribe identity,” she said.

In West Bengal's Jalpaiguri area, MNREGS was used not only to revive the closed Tea Gardens but also to save the tribal family structure. The credit here goes to District Magistrate Vandana Yadav.

The Administration agreed to meet one-third of the wage bill, which ensured the reopening of 10 of the 12 tea gardens, lying closed for well over a decade, but also saved the integrated tribal family fabric of 81,000 tribals, besides pulling them out of destitution. Moreover, they now have increased wages.

The tribals were against retrenchment, as it would have divided the family. The factories are doing well and the tribals have been ensured of lifelong security.

Another example of successful implementation of the Act in an industrial region has been scripted in Uttar Pradesh's Sant Ravidas Nagar in Bhadohi district, renowned for its carpets. District Magistrate Surendra Singh said weavers were encouraged to take up MGNREGS jobs, a move discouraged by local panchayat leaders for obvious reasons.

The weavers were paid about Rs.40 to 80 per day, but once they took to MGNREGS, their wages received a boost and that put an end to migration of labour. With that have come down incidents of wives committing suicide due to the torture of local goons with their husbands not around to support them, and the migrant male entering into second marriage at the place of his work.

District Magistrates of North Sikkim P.N. Bhutia, Karnataka's Dharward district C. Sikha, Gujarat's Rajkot Jay Prakash Shivahare, Rajasthan's Barmer district Gaurav Goyal, Madhya Pradesh's Anupur district Kavindra Kiyawat and Tamil Nadu's Tiruvannamalai district M. Rajendran too would be honoured for their work.

The Hindu, 4 February, 2011, http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/04/stories/2011020466110700.htm


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