Anakapalle PVTG tribal families hold creative protest demanding employment
27 Dec 2024 9:48 PM IST
PVTGs families from Jeelugullova, Sompuram, Bandulu, and Neredubandha in the Cheemalapadu panchayat of the Ravikamatham mandal held food plates, symbolising their demand for employment. (Image: DC)
Visakhapatnam: In a poignant protest, 28 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) families from Jeelugullova, Sompuram, Bandulu, and Neredubandha villages in the Cheemalapadu panchayat of Ravikamatham mandal held food plates, symbolising their demand for employment.
Despite possessing MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) job cards, they have been without work for over a year. These hilltop villagers rely on cultivating ragi, sama millet, and cashew on forest lands for survival. Their remote location has hindered access to MGNREGA work opportunities, forcing some to migrate to Vijayawada and Tirupati for sugarcane harvesting.
Repeated appeals to authorities have gone unanswered. Tribal leaders Korra Balaraju and Korra Gauri warned that MGNREGA job cards might be cancelled if immediate action is not taken. They vowed to escalate the protest to the district collector’s office if their demands remain unmet.
Anakapalle district CPI(M) leader Govinda Rao highlighted the need for targeted interventions to ensure employment opportunities reach remote tribal areas. “The creative protest underscores the desperation and determination of these families to secure their right to work,” he stated. The families hope their efforts will draw attention to their plight and prompt swift government action under the MGNREGA scheme.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
Next Story
