Agricultural labourers from West Bengal get seasonal work in East Godavari district

Rajamahendravaram: As usual, this year also agricultural labourers from West Bengal state migrated to the district to get their livelihood during this kharif season. Scarcity of agricultural labourers and high daily wages are posing problems to the farming community for the past three years.

As the farm labourers find no work in West Bengal during the kharif season, thousands of coolies from that state are coming to East Godavari district for the past three years in search of work. They come to the district in the month of June and stay herefor about four months.

Meanwhile, some persons are acting as middlemen and also bringing agricultural workers from West Bengal and they are taking their care including transportation up to the fields, providing food etc. This year, about 3,000 workers have come from West Bengal and are working in the mandals of Kajuluru, K Gangavaram, Mandapeta, Kapileswarapuram, Rayavaram, Tallarevu, Ramachandrapuram, Mummidivaram and Sitanagaram.

Speaking to The Hans India, a farmer Y Raju of Sitanagaram said they are paying an amount between Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,000 per acre for ploughing, transplantation of paddy saplings and other works, as against of Rs 7,000 in ordinary season and Rs 9,000 in the kharif season. Moreover, the West Bengal coolies are completing paddy transplantation with quality and the yield per acre is also increasing.

A West Bengal coolie Pranab Raj said he is coming to the district for the past two years due to lack of sufficient work in their area and here the atmosphere and also working conditions are good.

An Agriculture officer said the workers from West Bengal are working hard. They are transplanting the paddy saplings in a depth of 20 to 25 cm and ploughing in a depth of 30 to 35 cm and because of this, the growth of the paddy saplings comes quickly. At the same time, the yield is also increased four to five bags per acre, he said.