PM Modi to launch Rs 50,000 cr 'Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan' for migrants in 116 districts: FM Sitharaman

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 18

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a Rs 50,000 crore PM Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhyan from Khagaria district on Saturday to provide 125 days of employment to returned migrants in 116 districts of six states, said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at a press conference on Thursday.

“We have found that migrant workers returned in large numbers to 116 districts, spread over six states—Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan. The Government will pool 25 different projects to give jobs to migrant workers who have returned amid coronavirus crisis. The government will front-load Rs 50,000 crore for the cause. The top priority of PM Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan is to provide immediate relief to migrant workers who have gone home,’’ said the Finance Minister.

Activities which are otherwise spread over 25 schemes in a period of six months to one year will be frontloaded so that there no dearth of money. “No issue will hamper the scheme. As we go along, we will see how many will stay back for continued employment,’’ added the Minister.

Officials later revealed that the cut off for including districts is a minimum of 25,000workers per district.

The Government has not included West Bengal because when the scheme was drawn up on June 15, migrants had not “settled down’’. Though UP had more returning migrants, only 31 of its districts have been included as against 32 from Bihar.

Sitharaman said the Government had mapped the skill sets of migrants, many of whom were adept in the construction sector. Nearly three-fourths of the surveyed the returning migrants were skilled and they will be offered employment in construction of wells, roads and village houses, laying of fibre optic cables besides horticultural activities.