Click to play videoNew Delhi: Politics seemed to have ruined the chances of people living in humane conditions in drought-hit parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Parts of Amethi have been declared drought hit. The much lauded National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) could have been stepped up to combat the distress caused by the drought. Yet, the work that is available to the drought affected people her is hardly adequate.
Worse still, they are victim to local politics as this has turned the place into a turf war between Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who has been elected from the constituency.
The place is dotted with forlorn farmers, old men, young women, kids sitting on dry land. The distress on their faces is clearly visible.
The dead and dying plants and the dry, parched earth add to the somber scene.
Jehta Usraha Ram Yadav is losing his crop. Worse, he is yet to receive the money for the 14 days of work he's done in digging a pond for NREGA.
"I am yet to get 2000 Rs for 20 days' work, so we have started eating less," said Ram Yadav.
NREGA has failed due to the intense politics in the local governance, the gram panchayat.
Jehta's village boasts of a Dalit woman as a Pradhan. Her name is Shobhawati but her election has not inducted any fairness in the governance. It is alleged that her father-in-law uses the NREGS scheme to make money for himself.
"I look at things inside the house, my father-in-law looks at things outside," Shobhawati said in a matter of fact manner.
With lakhs of rupees already spent there are no real assets created. There are no muster rolls in place, no updating of job cards. There are no records of payment on schedule, not even a mandatory board that should give all information of the work done. It seems like the NREGS here is the battleground for vested interest.
"I don't have a job card," said Ram Sumiran.
The huge amount of money that comes under NREGA and the upcoming panchayat elections makes the NREGS the hottest political battleground.
A villager, Ram Yadav complained, " Rahul Gandhi represents us but we are fighting hunger today. We are facing a drought today."
In Rahul Gandhi's own constituency, his pet scheme the NREGS is hostage to local politics.
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