Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Indian Railways generated 9,79,557 mandays of work till September 18, 2020, under Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan in 6 States viz. Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
Railways and Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is closely monitoring the progress made in these projects and generation of work opportunities for the migrant labourers of these states under this scheme. Around 164 Railway infrastructure projects are being executed in these states.
Till September 18, 2020, 12,276 workers have been engaged in this Abhiyaan and the payment of Rs 2,056.97 crores has been released to the contractors for the projects being implemented. Railway has appointed nodal officers in each district as well as in the States so that a close coordination is established with the State Government, according to a PIB release
Railway has identified no. of Railway works which are being executed under this scheme. The works are related to (i) construction and maintenance of approach roads for level crossings, (ii) development and cleaning of silted waterways, trenches and drains along the track, (iii) construction and maintenance of approach road to railway stations, (iv) repair and widening of existing railway embankments / cuttings, (v) plantation of trees at extreme boundary of railway land and (vi) protection works of existing embankments/ cuttings/bridges.
It may be noted that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi 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 devastating COVID-19 on June 20, 2020. The Prime Minister announced that an amount of Rs 50,000 crores would be spent for building durable rural infrastructure under the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan.
This Abhiyaan of 125 days, is being undertaken in mission mode, and involves 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 is being undertaken during this campaign will have a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crore.
The Abhiyaan is 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.