Elderly excluded from MGNREGA scheme struggle for food

CHENNAI: The state’s decision to exclude people aged 55 and above working under the Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme came as a big blow, especially to the ones who are solely dependent on these wages. The workers have now appealed to authorities to revoke the ban as it’s pushed them further into poverty.

“It’s been around months since I’ve had a decent meal. This was my only income. I pledged my chain to pay the house rent. I don’t know how I’ll manage in the coming days. I have nothing left,” said S Minnala, a 57-year-old worker from Thirukazhukundram. Kausamma, a widow, has been living alone since a decade after her son moved to another state with his wife and family. She enrolled under the scheme with her husband nearly 30 years ago.

Dhanam K, a 60-year-old worker from Thiruporur was involved in forming channels. “I went to work one day only to be turned away. But interestingly they agreed to give a job card to my husband who has locomotor disability and is ten years elder to me. I was left confused,” she said.

However, neither of them were given a job, and just like many they are now struggling to make ends meet.

Around 1.3 crore people in Tamil Nadu work under MGNREGA, and the ones who are 55 years and above constitute 35% of the active workforce.

The order to not engage this group was issued on April 19, by the then commissioner of rural development and panchayat raj department K S Palanisamy, after the second wave. The order stated that workers with symptoms such as cold, cough, sneezing or with diabetes and heart diseases should be avoided. It also listed out safety protocols that need to be followed on field.

“I understand avoiding people with symptoms, but to impose a total ban on this group especially when they are desperately in need of these wages isn’t helpful. The authorities should compensate for the wage loss by other means,” said A Dhanalakshmi, vice president of Penn Thozhilalargal Sangam.

Senior officials from the rural development department said that they had sent a proposal to revoke the portion on excluding this group of workers from the earlier order, last week and are waiting for approval from the government. "We have listed other standard operating procedures that can be followed instead because the demand to revoke this ban is huge. We are waiting for further orders from authorities," the official said.


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