Goudaguda is a predominantly tribal populated Gram Panchayat under Laxmipur block of Koraput district. The main source of income of the people has been agriculture since ages. With increase in population, pressure on agricultural land and changing weather pattern with limited land, mere agriculture became inefficient to sustain the families; and has forced the tribals to   migrate to neighbouring states or cities. During COVID -19 most of the migrants find no way than coming back to their native place. Due to lock down situation, without any job in hand their families had to suffer from hunger and other household shortages. In order to address the situation the Govt of Odisha declared MGNREGA work for job seekers, identifying CYSD as the facilitating agency for 4 GPs in Laxmipur Block.

Joining hands with Block and Panchyat administration, CYSD Programme team mobilized communities through Village Development Committees (VDCs) and conducted various awareness programmes from time-to-time and motivated the people to know their rights and entitlements and to raise demand for work from the concerned Gram Panchayat. Accepting their limitations in literacy, CRPs and Programme team of CYSD helped them in mainstreaming. They opened their bank accounts, enrolled themselves for job cards and Aadhar cards. Community’s knowledge and awareness on MGNREGS system gradually enhanced. They learned the art of timely filling up job demand forms and enrolment in job cards. Community went to the extent for demanding job through C1 Form. In this process, about 989 job seekers of Goudagud GP demanded for job where more than 70% were women.

 

Under MGNREGS, the Block Administration sanctioned 5 special community projects along with 17 individual projects for Goudaguda GP. The special projects were mainly field channels where nearly 576 women job seeker were engaged in earth work for 3 weeks @ 207 rupees per day/person.

MGNREGS work in Goudaguda GP triggered a shift in both financial and migration situation. Poor, vulnerable and widows and single women household head benefitted largely from the project and stopped migrating to neighbouring cities. Employment was made available at their door steps for round 80 days during this non-agricultural season. MGNREGA scheme helped the villagers to break the cycle of borrowing and poverty during Covid-19 pandemic. Besides, CYSD with the support of Ford Foundation provided dry rotation kits to 220 MGNREGA Job seekers of the GP for a week.  This intervention also encouraged women to seek employment. Moreover, the assets like, Field Channel created in the process, became the source of  irrigation to cultivate paddy and vegetables on their land, as an alternative source of livelihood.