ONGOLE: Works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) have been stalled at many village panchayats across the district due to Covid-19, putting many families under a financial crisis. As per the schedule, the MGNREGS works were started in 1,046 village panchayats in 56 mandal limits of the district. Since April 1, several MGNREGS workers in several mandals have tested positive for Covid-19.
Works were stalled in 125 village panchayats of 15 mandals, including 26 panchayats in Darsi mandal, 23 villages in Gudlur vandal, 15 in Kurichedu mandal, 10 in Kanigiri mandal, nine in Kandukur mandal, six each in Santhanuthalapadu and Korisapadu mandals, five each in Podili and Konakanamitla mandals, four each in Valetivari Palem and CS Puram mandals, three villages each in Tangutur, Lingasamudram, Ulavapadu and Pamur mandals.
On an average, 3.05 lakh workers were attending duties under the rural job guarantee scheme in the district till Thursday and the number fell to 2.60 lakh on Friday and Saturday. Meanwhile, the AP Vyavasaya Karmika Sangham demanded that the government provide 200 working days to all the card holders without fail.
“Many workers tested positive for Covid-19 and the local authorities stopped the works in more than 120 villages. With this, thousands of workers lost their livelihood. The State government should pay `300 per day to all the regular workers. We also urge the government to supply quality rice and essential commodities to them for free,” K Anjaneyulu, APVKS- District general Secretary stated. “As several workers tested positive, the work was stopped in 125 villages,” District Water Management Agency assistant project director Ch Venkata Rami Reddy said.