The Hindu Business Line : A glimmer of hope in Bandlapalli village

NO other scheme has, perhaps, generated so much interest among the people of this part of the drought-hit district than the employment guarantee scheme launched here on Thursday.

For scores of agricultural labourers, who witnessed more droughts than good crop seasons for decades, it looked like an answer to their perennial quest for employment. Hundreds of families migrate every year to nearby districts and other States, seeking a livelihood.

According to an estimate, about three lakh people, including small farmers, move out of the district every year, in the Rabi season that usually keeps people idle. The district ranks second after Mahboobnagar in terms of migrations. With an average rainfall of 521 mm, it ranks second after Barmer in Rajasthan in terms of lowest rainfall.

With just 14 per cent of total land irrigated, the district is the least irrigated in the State. Of the total irrigated area of 1.39 lakh hectares, one lakh hectares are served by borewells, a source fast depleting.

Ms Sudhamayi, a 30-year-old woman from Bandlapalli, was quite excited. She, along with her husband, finds it hard to get work to feed her two daughters and a son. "We hope that this scheme will lessen our hardship," she said.

There are several people like her in the village, including the 80-year-old Anki Reddy, who are optimistic about the scheme. But most of them strongly feel that it is water, and not temporary works, that would solve the problems permanently. "Our lands are very productive. But there is no water source to make them useful," he said.

Small and marginal farmers, however, are a worried lot. They fear that raising of minimum wages from about Rs 30-Rs 40 to Rs 80 (the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme pledges 100 days of work to each family in a year at Rs 80 a day) would render them helpless.

"As it is, we are accumulating huge debts with the rising cost of production. How can we sustain if the expectations (of the labourers) go high?" Mr Sanjeevappa of K.K. Agraharam told Business Line.

"Investments are going up as there is no stopping of input companies from increasing prices. There is no increase in minimum support price. We are left with debts at the end of seasons. If labour cost too goes up, how can we survive?" he asked.