People in Erode’s Bargur hill seek works under MGNREGS

Women from 6 hamlets in Bargur, Erode, TN, demand jobs under MGNREGS, as 5,000 workers with job cards have not been provided work. Panchayat president Malayan agrees to consider their demands and provide jobs within 15 days.

Stating that over 5,000 women workers with job cards are not provided work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in Bargur hills, over 450 women thronged the Bargur panchayat office here. 

They said that the scheme was implemented by the Central government in 2005 to provide a minimum of 100 days work to the people. The scheme is intended to benefit poor people in hill areas where source of income is limited. “But, except for three villages in Bargur panchayat in Anthiyur panchayat union, thousands of workers were not provided jobs for many years now,” they claimed. 

Women from Kongadai, Agnipavi, Thalakarai, Devarmalai, Solaganai and other hamlets said that providing jobs to them under the scheme is the responsibility of the panchayat and wanted jobs to be ensured for them. They submitted petitions to the panchayat president Malayan who agreed to consider their demands and provide jobs within 15 days.