Roughly a month after demonetization, on December 2 it was seen that the total number of labourer working under NREGA from 38.52 lakh to 35.6 lakh. But within a month it registered a total of 83.60 lakh workers working under the scheme.
NREGA has seen a rise in its figures during April and June, previous year due to drought like conditions. NREGA being a reliable source of 100 days income, came to the rescue of the farmers.
According to an official, ‘Demand for MGNREGA work continued to be high throughout 2015, even post July, due to the poor monsoon that year. This year, the monsoon was normal and there were more agricultural jobs which ensured daily labour figures since July fell to 30 lakh on average. Demand has been on the rise again December. We expect it to go up to a crore soon.’
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Drought in 12 states was a reason that labour in large number kept on pouring in 2015. Social activist based in Rajasthan’s Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan Nikhil Dey said that post demonetization government failed to create job under NREGA, which could have created a great demand otherwise.
According to DLSachdeva, national secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress, 40% of the workers have been rendered jobless as an after effect of demonetization. But there is no official data from MSME’s which can claim its effect.
‘This has led to a major reverse migration. The job loss in these small and medium enterprises could be temporary, but the situation has not been normalized yet,’ Sachdeva said.
The Government is facing fund deficit, since the allotted sum has already been utilized. It is expected that the Rural Development Ministry will write to Finance Minister for an additional 8000 crore to keep up with the smooth functioning.
