NEW DELHI: The Railways has generated more than 8 lakh man-days of work in six states, including Bihar and Rajasthan, under a rural public works scheme launched in June this year to tackle the impact of COVID-19 on migrant workers, the ministry said Tuesday.
The Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan was launched with an initial funding of Rs 50,000 crore.
The Railways is executing various works under it, including construction and maintenance of approach roads for level crossings, development and cleaning of silted waterways, trenches and drains, and maintenance of approach roads to railway stations.
"Indian Railways has generated 8,09,046 man-days of work till September 4, 2020, under Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan in six 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 labours of these states under this scheme. Around 164 railway infrastructure projects are being executed in these states, the ministry said in a statement. Till September 4, it added, 12,276 workers had been engaged in this programme and the payment of Rs 1,631.80 crore has been released to the contractors for the projects being implemented.
The Railways has appointed nodal officers in each district as well as in the states so that a close coordination is established with the state government.
The GarIb Kalyan Rojgar 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 the six states.
The Abhiyaan is a convergent effort between 12 different ministries or departments.