New Delhi: The Centre Thursday claimed that in the past seven weeks it has spent Rs 16,786 crore to provide employment opportunities to migrant workers in six states, including Odisha, under Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan (GKRA).
According to Rural Development Ministry, a total of about 21 crore man-days have been provided to migrants by the seventh week. Also, a large number of physical assets including 77,974 water conservation structures, 2.33 lakh rural houses, 17,933 cattle sheds, 11,372 farm ponds and 3,552 community sanitary complexes have been created during the period.
The ministry also revealed that 6,300 projects have been taken up through District Mineral Foundations (DMFs). This apart, 764 gram panchayats have been provided internet connectivity and 2,5487 candidates have been imparted skill training through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) under GKRA.
Significantly, the programme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June to boost employment and livelihood opportunities for migrant workers returning to their native places and affected citizens in rural areas in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
GKRA has been implemented in four districts, including one aspirational district, in Odisha.
An amount of Rs 50,000 crore has been allocated for building durable rural infrastructure under GKRA. The ministry has identified 25 projects like rural housing for the poor, plantations, provision of drinking water through Jal Jeevan mission, Panchayat Bhavans, community toilets, rural mandis, rural roads and other infrastructure facilities like cattle sheds, Anganwadi centres etc.
It was decided that the Abhiyaan of 125 days will work in mission mode in 116 districts in six states – Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Jharkhand.