THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The merger of some panchayats with municipalities and corporations has left 50,000 beneficiaries of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the lurch across the state.Since the ambitious programme is valid only in panchayats, MGNREGS beneficiaries belonging to the merged panchayats, majority of them women, are left without a means of livelihood.“Many jobless people had been working under the scheme for the past three years. The Panchayat Secretary is the authorised person to answer queries about it. But when panchayats were merged, such a post ceased to exist leaving the beneficiaries in a difficult condition,” says V S Kannan, former president of Kizhuvilam gram panchayat, here.Nattakom, Kumaranallur gram panchayats in Kottayam, Thiruvankulam panchayat in Ernakulam, Pukkod and Thycaud gram panchayats in Thrissur, Sreekaryam, Vattiyoorkavu, Kudappanakkunnu, Vizhinjam and Kazhakkuttom here etc were merged with municipalities or corporations before the last local body elections.The status of MGNREGS beneficiaries remains more or less the same, even after the reconstitution of territories.There are around 26 merged panchayats. On an average, around 2,000 people are engaged in work provided by the scheme. A member of a beneficiary household is entitled for 100 days of work in a financial year. These 100 days can be shared within the household. More than one person in the household can be employed simultaneously or at different times. If a job seeker does not get employment within 15 days of submitting the application or from the date when work is sought, a daily unemployment allowance has to be paid as per the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.The provisions of the Act make it different from routine daily wage jobs. “It ensures a minimum income to a house even if there is no work and it is ensured that they do not face starvation,” says Kannan.But a few hope that the Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme, which was given prominence in the state Budget, would resolve the issue.“Once the scheme, which was announced in the 2011 Budget, is revamped, those who were deprived of sufficient job days would be reinstated,” J Sadanandan, Additional Director of Panchayats, told Express.
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