Berhampur: Ganjam district has set a milestone in employment generation by providing 100 days of work to over 1 lakh families, the highest in India, under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in financial year 2021-22.
As per records, the southern district of Odisha provided 100 days of work to at least 1,01,001 families, topping the list nationally, followed by Rajasthan’s Barmer district.
Meanwhile, out of the top 40 districts in India, Odisha’s Sundargarh stood at 14th position, Bolangir 15th, Kandhamal 26th and Koraput 37th position.
These Odisha districts have been applauded for creating job opportunities in rural areas during the pandemic. Lakhs of migrant workers, who had been working in other states for livelihood, had to return to their homes after Covid-19 broke out.
Since, then the district administration, under the direction of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, effectively implemented the scheme to beat the challenges of Covid-19 on the rural economy.
The main aim was to provide employment to all those who needed it and create durable assets for sustainable livelihoods and to change the face of rural Ganjam.
Many community projects such as rural parks, tourism circuits, tanks and canal renovation, check dams and rural connectivity were taken up under MGNREGA.
Similarly, individual projects such as cattle sheds, goat sheds, poultry shelters, Mo Upakari Bagicha, fodder cultivation and others were taken up in a massive scale on priority basis. Similarly, coconut, mangoes and other fruit trees were planted to boost the horticulture sector in the district.
Notably, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has emphasised on creating livelihoods through MGNREGA for the people and asked all the district authorities to provide support to the people in distress during this pandemic.
He has also emphasised on timely payment of wages to the beneficiaries and regular feedback on Mo Sarkar platform.
Ganjam Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange has congratulated the DRDA team, 22 block development officers (BDOs) and Ganjam citizens for the feat.
PNN