New Delhi, Aug 23 Indian Railways has generated more than 6,40,000 'mandays' of work under the Gareeb Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan in Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Till Friday (August 21), 12,276 workers have been engaged in this scheme and the payment of Rs 1,410.35 crore has been released to the contractors for the projects being implemented.
Around 165 railway infrastructure projects are being executed in these six states generating work opportunities for the migrant labourers under the scheme.
India Railways has appointed nodal officers in each district as well as in the states so that a close coordination is established with the state governments.
Railways has identified number of railway works which are being executed under this scheme. The works are related to construction and maintenance of approach roads for level crossings; development and cleaning of silted waterways, trenches and drains along the track; construction and maintenance of approach road to railway stations; repair and widening of existing railway embankments Aand cuttings.
Besides, plantation of trees at extreme boundary of railway land and protection works of existing embankments, cuttings and bridges are part of the work.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 20 this year launched the employment-cum-rural public works campaign 'Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan' to empower and provide livelihood opportunities in areas and villages witnessing large number of returnee migrant workers affected by the devastating Covid-19.
The Prime Minister announced that an amount of Rs 50,000 crore would be spent for building durable rural infrastructure under the 125-day scheme which is being undertaken in mission mode and involves focused implementation of 25 categories of works in 116 districts, each with a large concentration of returnee migrant workers in six states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Odisha.
The scheme is a convergent effort between 12 different Ministries and departments, including Rural Development; Panchayati Raj; Road Transport and Highways; Mines; Drinking Water and Sanitation; Environment; Railways; Petroleum and Natural Gas; New and Renewable Energy; Border Roads; Telecom and Agriculture to expedite implementation of 25 public infrastructure works and works relating to augmentation of livelihood opportunities.
( With inputs from IANS )
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