Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : PM Narendra Modi on June 20, 2020, launched a massive employment -cum- rural public works Campaign named ‘Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan’ to empower and provide livelihood opportunities in areas/ villages witnessing large number of returnee migrant workers affected by the COVID-19. The Abhiyaan was flagged off from village Telihar, Block Beldaur, district Khagaria, Bihar, through Video-Conference attended by the CMs and Representatives of the 6 Participating States, several Union Ministers, and others.
The Prime Minister interacted through remote video conferencing with the residents of Telihar in the Khagaria District of Bihar. He inquired from some of the migrants their current state of employment and also whether various welfare schemes launched during the Lockdown period were available to them. PM Modi expressed satisfaction after his interaction and pointed out how rural India stood its ground in the fight against COVID-19 and how it is providing an inspiration to the whole country and the world in this moment of crisis. He said that both the Center and the State Governments were concerned about the welfare of the poor and the migrants.
The Prime Minister said the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Campaign itself was launched with a Rs 1.75 Lakh crore package under PM Garib Kalyan Yojana. He said the Central and State Government also ran special Shramik Express Trains for the migrant labour who wished to return homes. He termed this day as a historic day as a massive campaign kickstarted for the welfare of the poor, for their employment. The Prime Minister announced that an amount of Rs 50,000 crore would be spent for building durable rural infrastructure under the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan, according to a PIB release.
He said 25 work areas have been identified for employment in villages for development of various works. These 25 works or projects are related to meet the needs of the villages like rural housing for the poor, Plantations, provision of drinking water through Jal Jeevan mission, Panchayat Bhavans, community toilets, rural mandis, rural roads, other infrastructure like Cattle Sheds, Anganwadi Bhavans etc.
The Prime Minister said that Abhiyan shall also provide modern facilities in rural areas. He said it is of great necessity that high speed and cheap internet be provided in every rural household to help the youth and children. He said it is the first time that the rural areas are using more internet than the urban areas. Hence the laying of fibre cable and provision of internet are also made a part of the Abhiyan. These works will be done while staying in his own village while staying with his family, the PM said.
The Prime Minister said that Self-Reliant (Aatma Nirbhar) farmers are equally essential for a Self-Reliant India (AatmaNirbhar) Bharat. He said the Government took a major step by removing various shackles of unwanted rules and regulations so that the farmer can freely sell his produce anywhere in the country and connect directly with traders who offer a better price for his produce. He said the farmers are being directly linked to the market and that the Government has provided an investment of Rs 1,00,000 crore for linkages like cold storage etc.
This Abhiyaan of 125 days will work in mission mode and involve focused implementation of 25 categories of works/ activities in 116 districts each with a large concentration of returnee migrant workers in 6 states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Odisha. Public works to be undertaken during this campaign will have a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crore.
The Abhiyaan will be a convergent effort between 12 different Ministries/Departments, namely; Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Road Transport & Highways, Mines, Drinking Water & Sanitation, Environment, Railways, Petroleum & Natural Gas, New & Renewable Energy, Border Roads, Telecom and Agriculture, to expedite implementation of 25 public infrastructure works and works relating to augmentation of livelihood opportunities.