Koppal: The prospect looks gloomy for Nagappa, a mute man in hiring a dankal village that falls under the Chikka Dankal Gram Panchayat in Kanakagiri Taluk, Koppal, six years ago, with a little employment opportunity.
However, the rural warranty scheme of Rural Mahatma Gandhi Gandhi (MGNREG) led hope and brought stability in Nagappa’s life, his wife Lakshmamma and five of their children.
Over the past six years, Nagappa has been able to provide his family through the wages he gets from working on the MGNREGS project.
MGNREGS has been, besides helping him strengthen the livelihood, helping Nagappa expand the circle of his friends.
“I get a job for the maximum number of days set by Mgnrega, and hang out with other people,” Nagappa said.
Lakshmamma said that Mgnreg has offered a platform for her husband to prove himself.
“When we can’t find a job under MGNREG, we can find another opportunity.
The MGNREGS work card has helped us live a dignified life.
We face a little difficulty in raising our four daughters and a son, which we can also do educate.
Previously, We were forced to migrate to Bengaluru, Pune, Mangalore looking for work, mostly in the construction sector.
Now, we don’t have to leave our village, “Lakshmamma said.
Madiwala community members, Lakshmamma and Nagappa also run the laundry shop, in addition to serving the field, when there is no job under MGNREG.
Chikka Dankal Gram Development Officers Panchayat Veeranna Nakralli said that Nagappa and Lakshmamma had been employed in various MGNREGS initiatives over the past five years.
“We have hired them for 100 days every year, while in 2019-20, when the maximum number of days increased to 150 because of the drought, they worked in those days.
The disability though, Nagappa as efficiently and capable as everyone else he worked with, “Said Nakralli.