Lockdown woes: NREGP comes to the rescue of jobless youth in Nalgonda

Enrolments for 100-day job cards under the scheme sees surge; teachers among applicants in Nalgonda

Nalgonda: Enrolments for job cards of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (MGNREGP) was increased by multiple times in the last two years in Nalgonda district as the educated persons, who lost private jobs after lockdown triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, in search of livelihood at their native places.

In the financial year 2019-20, less than 230 applications have been received by the authorities of District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) for new job cards of MGNREGP under which 100 working days with the daily wage of Rs 241 per candidate. But, 2,523 new job cards were issued during 2020-21 and 1,392 new job cards for 2021-22 after receiving numerous applications. After Covid-19 lockdown, around 11,000 persons joined the list of beneficiaries of MGNREGP under these new job cards. It is indicating that those who lost jobs due to lockdown were earning their livelihood by enrolling their other family members for work, under MGNREGP.

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Speaking to Telangana Today, A Ashok Raju, who had worked as a lecturer at a private junior college for 12 years, revealed that he lost his job due to the lockdown and tried for another one in private companies as colleges were closed down. But, he failed to get even a small job in any private firm even after his two-month job search, said Raju who was then forced to apply to the local Mandal Parishad Development Officer (MPDO) for a job card under MGNREGP at his native place Munugode in the district.

P Ramesh, who had worked as a teacher at a private school for 10 years and remained jobless after Covid-induced lockdown, said that it was not the time to think about his educational qualification or previous job. Feeding his family was his first responsibility by earning money by doing any work, he said adding that would return to his profession after the normalcy was restored and schools opened.

District Rural Development Officer Y Rajashekhar Reddy said that the applications for the job cards have increased in the last two years. The youth, who lost jobs due to the pandemic, could be a reason for the sudden surge in applications. He pointed out that several educated youths also returned to their native places from the towns after losing their employment due to the imposition of lockdown across the State. “We are keen on issuing job cards to all the eligible applicants and provide 100 working days to them. Each job card would consist of one or more family members based on the application received by them, he added.

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