Sandeep Dwivedy
Post News Network
Cuttack, Feb 16: Deprived of Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards and working in the unorganised sector makes it tough for daily wage labourers in the silver city to make both ends meet.
Orissa Post spoke to some daily wage labourers at Bajrakabati Road as they were waiting in the morning to be picked up by contractors for construction and other similar jobs.
Malati Dalabehera, who came from Keonjhar to Cuttack in search of a better life, said it is hard for her to find work every day.
“It has become very difficult to find work. We wait for contractors to pick us up for work but that does not happen every day.” In the absence of a regular job, Malati said she is forced to resort to begging to feed her three children. “That is the only way I can feed my children,” said Malati, whose husband is unemployed and a drug addict, making her the family’s sole breadwinner.
On the other hand, Subash Behera, another construction worker, said he is fortunate to have learnt the skills of laying tiles in homes and offices. “My income is stable as I’m often called for jobs involving renovation of houses and offices,” he said.
However, with Bangladeshi immigrants working for lesser wages, the likes of Subash are finding it tough to get work at the same price. “I have to compromise on my daily wage as failure to do so will only cost me dear,” Subash said.
An official of CMC who did not wish to be named admitted that the distribution of BPL cards to labourers has been erroneous. “Steps will be taken to rectify the situation,” he said, adding that it is tough for authorities to identify the labourers as they work in an unorganised sector.
