Railways generates more than 6.4 lakh mandays of work under Gareeb Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan in Bihar, UP, other 4 states

Indian Railways has generated more than 6,40,000 mandays of work under Gareeb Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan in 6 States viz. Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry is closely monitoring the progress made in these projects and generation of work opportunities for the migrant labour of these states under this scheme. Around 165 Railway infrastructure projects are being executed in these states.

The Ministry of Railways informed about the feat in a written press statement and said, "Till 21 August, 2020, 12,276 workers have been engaged in this Abhiyaan and the payment of Rs 1,410.35 crores has been released to the contractors for the projects being implemented. 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 railway works which are being executed under this scheme. The works are related to (i) construction and maintenance of approach roads for level crossings, (ii) development & cleaning of silted waterways, trenches and drains along the track, (iii) construction and maintenance of approach road to railway stations, (iv) repair and widening of existing railway embankments / cuttings, (v) plantation of trees at extreme boundary of railway land and (vi) protection works of existing embankments/ cuttings/bridges.

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It may be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi 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.

This Abhiyaan of 125 days, is being undertaken in mission mode, and involves focused implementation of 25 categories of works/ activities in 116 districts, each with a large concentration of returnee migrant workers in 6 states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Odisha. Public works undertaken during this campaign will have a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crores.