Balangir, Mar 4: Chhura family of Balangir in Odisha has set examples saying no to migration for wages. The whole family has now decided to work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) that fetched them more than Rs 90,000 in this fiscal. 

Bhubaneswar Chhura, a daily wager resides at Ghantasada village in the interior pocket of Titlagarh block under Balangir district. He along with four members of his family used to migrate to Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Maharastra in search of livelihood. 

However, they failed to earn livelihood from the employers. Rather became prey to their physical and mental torture. Most of the time they had to go hungry, being tied as a captive by the inhumane masters. 

Meanwhile, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guaranty Scheme opened up Bhubaneswar’s eyes. He engaged himself in renovating the village pond, shared his labour constructing village street under the rural employment scheme. His family earned around Rs 90,60, 044 as wages. 

“We had never earned this much of sum in our life. We had earlier never heard of MGNREGS. But, now we will never think of migrating elsewhere in search of employment”, said Chhura. 

Significantly, Balangir district in Odisha is infamous for migration of labourers.