When during the Covid-19 pandemic, joblessness has hit millions, a panchayat in the distress migration-prone Gaisilet block in Bargarh district has done an exemplary work.

Thanks to the effective implementation of various schemes, especially the NREGS, about 200 migrant workers who have returned to their native villages from Mumbai, Chennai and other places since the beginning of the year, were provided wage works.

These workers are no longer interested to migrate outside as their worry for bread is gone. Besides, they feel it great to be engaged in creation of assets for own villages.

According to sources, the Buremunda panchayat has undertaken a large number of projects, other than digging earth or laying roads under the NREGS, to ensure the villagers get access to several amenities which are otherwise available in towns. Starting from RO drinking water project, mini stadium, children park to plantations and irrigation projects, dozens of projects were undertaken during the lockdown period which not just gave the much needed financial relief to the poverty-stricken villagers who were struggling to make end meet after being laid off by their employers in other States, but led to creation of several assets.

Buremunda Sarpanch Saroj Sribhusan Sahu who himself is a post graduate in English literature and who opted social service as mission of life rather than doing a high salaried job, said, " There are ample of opportunities to transform the lives of the rural poor and change the face of rural India. What is needed is will power and proper execution of several schemes of the Government."

Sahu said the Corona pandemic was a challenge for him and he made it a point to ensure that the migrant returnees in his panchayat were properly rehabilitated.

"To achieve the mission, we initiated a host of programmes. We thought to create different amenities for the villagers that are otherwise available in urban centres. We have started a stadium at Zugim. The construction is underway. While the field has been levelled, cement benches have been constructed and many saplings have been planted around the field. This apart, 700 coconut saplings have also been planted in bunds of two ponds at Baidapalli and Buremunda. This would not only keep the ponds safe, clean and beautiful but help the panchayat generate revenue within a few years after the coconut plants mature and bear fruits. Similarly, while three solar power run drinking water projects have been set up in the panchayat, we have also set up an RO water project at Buremunda," narrated Sahu.

He further maintained that the panchayat took up many other projects like improving the village Mahar Kata, construction of concrete canals to farm land, besides providing sewing, vegetable and mushroom farming training. About 85 women have benefitted from the training and are now earning on their own.

Notably, under the MGNREGA, about 4, 64,426 work days have been created and 22,572 persons of 12,193 families have been engaged in Gaisilet Block in which the Buremunda Panchayat comes. 746 families engaged in different projects have completed 100 days work. Similarly, the NREGS workers were disbursed Rs 1.40 crore towards their wages.