To alleviate rural distress during the Covid-19 lockdown, Punjab had undertaken significant labour-intensive works in its villages to effectively leverage the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) even during the curfew or lockdown.
At the same time, the state is getting ready to utilize additional allocation to MNREGS to help the rural poor by creating livelihoods and assets.
“The State Government plans to undertake a special drive this year, to enroll more workers and make new job cards to bring more families under the ambit of the programme. This initiative is aimed at creating a sustainable response to address rural distress arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic,” announced the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.
The lockdown works included engagement of two persons per village as ‘Van Mitras’ to nurture 550 saplings planted in each by the Forest Department to commemorate the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. The State Government, on May 12, also launched a massive village ponds cleaning and rejuvenation drive to cover more than 15,000 village ponds, which will not only help alleviate rural distress but also combat Covid-19 by enhancing cleanliness and hygiene in villages.
“These unique initiatives are helping to address the rural distress caused by Covid-19 pandemic by directly transferring wages in the hands of rural poor, many of whom are women,” said the Chief Minister, adding that these programmes are in addition to plethora of measures undertaken by the State to secure the interests of the poor in these difficult times.
During 2019-20, an amount of Rs 767 crore was spent under MNREGS, which is the highest ever expenditure in the state. With this, a record total of 2.35 crore man-days were generated during the year, of which 1.38 crore were for women and 1.57 lakh for elderly (over 60 years). During the year, a total of 7.53 lakh households were provided employment and a total of 1.27 lakh new job cards were made, covering needy families. The State Government has now set a target of 2.50 crore man-days for FY 2020-21.
Regarding new initiatives, the Chief Minister said that ponds renovation work, launched in mission mode by the Rural Development and Panchayats Department, is covering all 13,000 villages of the state for cleanliness and sanitation of villages, along with generation of employment opportunities for workers.
The Department has identified around 15,000 ponds in the State, and is targeting dewatering and desilting (if required) of all these ponds.
CAPT ASKS PM TO LET MGNREGS WORKERS WORK ON PUNJAB FARMS IN RABI-KHARIF SEASONS 2020-21 AS SPECIAL CASE
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday asked the Centre for letting labour or cardholders under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) work in farm operations for both Kharif and Rabi crops during 2020-21 in the state, as a special case, in view of the migrant labour shortage.
The Chief Minister has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to direct the Union Ministry of Rural Development to allow Punjab accordingly.
Capt Amarinder suggested that the Union Ministry of Rural Development could, in consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, designate a specific number of man-days per acre (for paddy and wheat) that may be allowed under MGNREGS.
The Chief Minister said that this initiative would help to mitigate rising labour costs for farmers on one hand, and promote rural employment, and most importantly, help in preserving food security for the nation in the time of this unprecedented global crisis on the other.
Pointing out that both the Centre and States are collectively engaged in fighting Covid-19 pandemic, Capt Amarinder noted that the Centre has, in its recent economic stimulus package, had announced additional funds to the tune of Rs 40,000 crore under MGNREGS.
“Given the rising spread of the disease as well as return of migrants to their native States, it is well-nigh unlikely that Punjab will see any major return of migrant farm labour for the coming Kharif season,” he added.