Villagers' grouse: No work for us

  • 11/08/2009

  • Asian Age (New Delhi)

AMITA VERMA Congress president Sonia Gandhi was shocked, to put it rather mildly, to learn the truth about implementation of the Central schemes like NREGS in her own constituency, Rae Bareli, on Monday. "Humko ek din ka bhi kaam nahin mila hai. Yahan kisi ko kaam nahin mila hai," said Damyanti, a resident of Beriya ka Tola in Rampur Sudakan village in Bachrawan Assembly segment. A group of women sitting beside her, nodded in unison. A middle-aged man added, "We do not get seeds or fertilisers. The administration gives us nothing." Mrs Gandhi, who was holding a "chaupal" in her constituency asked, "Since when have you not been getting work under the NREGS?" "Kabhi nahin mila. Aapne ghoshna ki thi, phir bhi nahin mila," the women replied. The villagers asked Mrs Gandhi to ensure direct implementation of Centrally-sponsored schemes. "This government will not give us anything," they insisted. The villagers also complained about non-availability of ration cards, fake records of the NREGA, irregularities in Indira Awas and scarcity of hand pumps to the Congress president. Mrs Gandhi received similar complaints as she held chaupals in other adjoining villages. In Satti village, the local people told her that they still did not get proper supply of drinking water. Mrs Gandhi will spend the next two days in her constituency during which she will have several interactions with the people and will review development.