Exodus of labourers in Malda

Manas R. Bannerjee

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Aug. 22: Thousands of labourers in Malda are leaving for other states in search of work not only because of the drought-like situation prevailing here but also due to implementation of the election code-of-conduct for Malda Lok Sabha by-poll scheduled for 16 September, political leaders said today.Political leaders said that owing to scarcity of rainfall, jute retting and transplantation of aman crop in the district was badly hit making life hard for the labourers.“Many people, mostly from the Barind belt have left for other states in search of work,” said Mr Jiban Moitra, the secretary of Malda CPI-M. “Had the administration arranged for confirmed employment schemes for the local labourers, they would not have gone to other states,” Mr Moitra said. A district official said that the additional district project coordinator yesterday issued a letter to the authorities concerned that the meeting for National Rural Employment Guarantee Schemes (NREGS) scheduled for 28 August has been cancelled, following the election code-of-conduct guidelines for the Malda by-poll. Several government programmes have been cancelled due to the Malda by-poll here, the officer added. “Agriculture officials too are facing problems in executing policies to fight the drought-like situation in the district fearing violation of the election code of conduct,” said Mr G Ahmed, the Malda principal agriculture officer. An officer bearer of Malda Zilla Parishad confirmed that labourers here are facing a difficult situation because of the election code of conduct.The CPI-M leader, Mr Jiban Moitra, said that due to the execution of the election code of conduct for the by-poll, many development schemes couldn’t be implemented on time in the district. Mr Moitra added that this has also hindered timely utilisation of funds for many developmental schemes. “The district will be deprived of extra funds next year owing to failure of producing utilisation certificates to the authorities,” he added. Mr Moitra claimed that the state has been facing this problem since January because the government employees, who play a key role in implementing developmental schemes were very busy with the revision of the electoral rolls. Political leaders are also worried about the large-scale exodus of labourers here fearing that they might not turn up to cast their votes.