No measures to stop migration in Kurnool district

Kurnool: Lakhs of people from villages in the district are migrating to cities due to lack of employment. The migration is more from Pathikonda, Alur, Dhone, Yemmiganur, Kodumur and Adoni mandals.

Implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) has reportedly failed to stop migration. More than 5 lakh people from the district reportedly left for Guntur, Vijayawada, Bengaluru, Bellary, Mumbai and other parts of India in search of livelihood. 

Spiralling of prices and meagre wages under the NREGS are the main reasons for people from rural areas moving to faraway places. The Central government scheme provides maximum of Rs 180 per day and depending on the work done, workers get a minimum of Rs 70. The district’s average daily wage is Rs 111. 

The amount for work done is also not being paid on daily basis. Elsewhere, the wages are more and paid daily. School dropout ratio is going up as children are migrating along with their parents. According to a source, only 2.5 lakh job card holders from the total of 8 lakh are utilising the cards but only 40,000 are working under NREGS regularly. 

Kadavala Sudhakar, CPI leader from Pathikonda said that the government has failed to provide works to job seekers under the NREGS. DWMA project director Subbaiah speaking to The Hans India said they are ready to provide work but not in a position to pay the amount.

Payments are pending since November 4, 2018, he said and stated Centre has to release Rs 100 crore towards wages and material.  As the wages are pending, people are not showing interest to work under the NREGS, Subbaiah said.