Thursday, June 5, 2008

NREGS lifts living standard in Churachandpur

Imphal, Jun 5 : National Employment Guarantee Scheme NREGS has enhanced the living standard of the people in Churachandpur more than any other Governmental schemes by raising the laborers coffer, a study revealed today.

Extended over a week, the survey conducted by a team of reporters based in Churachandpur including this correspondent, took in accounts the observations of hand loom weavers and traders, brick field proprietors and laborers, school principals and vendors.Of the groups included in the survey, handloom traders were the groups that receive a major blow while its weavers turned out to be the main beneficiaries.

Proprietor of Ngainou Wool House, S Sanglian told the survey team that a weaver usually takes a week to complete one traditional shawl earlier but with the introduction of NREGS, the same weaver now takes about 28 days to complete the same.

Despite reviewing their wages from Rs 60 to Rs 80 per shawl since March this year, their supply failed to revive, he said.

At the average, NREGS has affected about 35 percent of the supply in handloom industry and increase the weavers’ wages by 6 percent.

On the trend of months tuition fees paid to schools, S Liankhanlal, Principal of Ebenezer Academy said his institution witness 50 to 60 percent improvement this year.

“Last year there are student who didn’t have complete text book even up to December, but this year everyone is equipped with their text complete with their notes by March,” he said.

He nevertheless like other principals interviewed, claimed that payment on tuition fees has improved by 5 to10 percent.

Another trade badly affected by the NREGS seems to be the brick fields.

Availability of unskilled labourers, mostly women deteriorate to an extent that brick field owners were forced to raise their wages from Rs 65 per 1000 bricks to Rs 80 since January.

The team also unveiled that peoples’ purchasing power has increased by 5 to10 percent.

Partei of Kawnpui, a variety shop owner said her shop was never better off than this year ever since she open the same several years back.

At an average, the survey team revealed that NREGS has increased the wages of daily labourers by 5-10 percent and that money circulation was three fold in comparison with the pre-NREGS period.


TSE

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