Indian Railways has generated more than 9,79,000 ‘mandays’ of work generated in six states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh till September 18 under Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan.
Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal is monitoring the progress made in these projects and work opportunities generated for the migrant labours of these states under this Scheme, the ministry said in a statement, adding that the payment of Rs 2056.97 Crores have been released to the contractors for the projects being implemented till 18 September.
Around 164 Railway infrastructure projects are being executed in these six states, it said.
“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. “Railway has identified number of 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, cuttings, plantation of trees at extreme boundary of railway land and protection works of existing embankments, cuttings and bridges,” it said.
“The 125 days ‘abhiyaan’ 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. Public works is being undertaken during this campaign will have a resource envelope of Rs. 50,000 crores,” the ministry said.
Incidentally, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had 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 20th June 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.