Low turnout despite Government Order permitting their employment
Ponnammal Kondasamy, a resident of Kurudampalayam Panchayat in Coimbatore District, has completed her 100 days of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
The Rs.13,000 or so the 43-year-old differently abled woman has earned will help her improve her living. “My husband and my dependence on our son will stand reduced. I will be able to pay rent on my own and buy rice to my liking.”
The woman and many other differently abled like her are able to avail themselves of the MGNREGS work and derive financial benefits, thanks to a State Government order. By way of G.O. 52, the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department on June 25, 2012 allowed differently abled with 40 per cent disability to work under the 100-day programme. But, turnout points out that more needs to be done in attracting more workers.
The G.O. said, after a pilot study in Coimbatore, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Kancheepuram, the Government had decided to allow the differently abled to take up MGNREGS work with certain conditions. Reduction in work hours to four, differentiation in quantum of work allotted and measurement of work executed and nature of work allotted, were among the many conditions.
The Order also suggested that the MGNREGS work organisers could use the differently abled to serve water to working men and women, ask them to take care of the workers’ children, employ them to transport dug earth or water earth prior to digging, or clear shrubs.
Following the issue of the Order, the Coimbatore district administration conducted village panchayat-wise camps to identify and enrol differently abled persons. In the 12 panchayat union blocks, the administration identified 4,140 differently abled persons, issued cards to over 1,700 interested persons and had welcomed them to work, says Collector M. Karunagaran.
But the response has not been good. During August 17- 23, only 15.59 per cent of those who were issued cards turned up for work. In the subsequent three weeks, the percentage stood at 21.44, 28.28 and 24.82 respectively.
The poor showing is the result of lack of awareness among the differently abled community and discouragement from officials, complains  Surya Nagappan, a physically challenged. His approaching the staff at a village under Periyanaickenpalayam Panchayat Union limits for work was turned down.
“I was told that I would not be able to undertake such work.” A couple of other differently abled also had the same grievance.
It should not be so as the Government was clearly told what kind of work to allot for the challenged persons under the MGNREGS, says G. Murali, a member of the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, which undertook the pilot study in two villages in Coimbatore. He says that the University suggested safe repetitive work to be given to visually challenged workers, simple works such as removing stones or clearing shrubs to mentally challenged and physically challenged persons and other work for hearing impaired and other sections of the differently abled.
During its study, the University also found that the mentally challenged persons were the most willing workers. Collector Mr. Karunagaran says that the administration is committed to increasing the number and providing all facilities that would attract such persons to take up MGNREGS work.
The administration was also considering transport for such people to work places.

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