Sridevi Devnand’s perspective on MGNREGA – the voice of a MGNREGA worker:

This week we thought you all may like to hear what those impacted by MGNREGA feel about this Act and the rights it entitles them to. 

Over the next few months we hope to share more of their stories with you. Do let us know what you think.

Sridevi Devnand lives in CK Palli and in her household, including herself, there are two members with job cards and who demand work under the MGNREGA Act.

Last year this household demanded 100 days of work. While they didn’t receive all the days they demanded between the two they got a total of 88 days. This total of 88 days is higher than the average number of MGNREGA work given in Andhra Pradesh and much higher than other states. As a result of these 88 days they recevied a total of Rs. 9,680 in wages from MGRENA.

MGNREGA has had an important impact on the quality of life for this household and what the members of this household are able to afford. As a result of income generated from MGNREGA work, 

Sridevi says that, “In the last few years we have bought a cycle, both of us have bought cell phones, we eat meat more often.”

An additional and very important impact of MGNREGA has been its effect on women, something 

Sridevi can talk to as woman, “In MGNREGA we are not treated as coolies, we work when we want to and not when the land owners want us to, and we get the same wages as men.”             

At the same time Sridevi was clear to voice her dissatisfaction with the work. The soil for which the work had to be carried out on was very hard, therefore Sridevi was unable to earn the defined MGNREGA minimum wage of Rs 145 and only earned Rs 110 per day. In addition, the one main problem she has with MGNREGA is the delay in payments, a problem echoed by others as well.

It is clear that Sridevi understands what rights this Act gives to her. When asked if she received any other rights under this Act, aside from work, she stated that, “We don’t allow contractors or machineries to work in MGNREGA, we receive travel when work is over 5 Kms away, we have medical kit, water, and shade at the work site.”

When asked about the role of YIP facilitators in accessing work under MGNREGA, Sridevi said, 

"They first organised our SSS groups into Gram Panchayat Samakhayas (GPS) and started holding monthly meetings with us to solve our problems. They also visit us when we need them."

In addition, she saw a need for the continued role of these facilitators in enabling her to to demand her rights, saying that, 

"it is not just a question of rights, it is also a question of leadership. Because they are from outside of our  groups they can instil discipline in us, otherwise we will just end up fighting"

Sridevi had a resounding yes for the continuation for MGNREGA as it gives a right to a 100 days of work for households like hers. Her support for this is Act also stems from the control households like hers have over being able to demand and access this work and the conditions under which they receive it.