NEW DELHI: With 32 of the 38 districts of the poll bound Bihar in the ambit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched migrant-focussed Rs 50,000 crore employment scheme, which would be executed in a flat 125 days in six states. While the PM said that holding hands of the poor was the topmost priority for him at the outbreak of the pandemic and launch of the Atmanirbhar package, the BJP ruled states — Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh — have accounted for 87 of the total 116 districts where the Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan has been launched.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar appeared much pleased with the launch of the scheme, as by the end of the 125 days period the state would be in the midst of spirited campaigning for the Assembly elections in which the Opposition is seeking to push the hardships faced by the migrants at the centre stage of the political discourse.
Bihar alone, as Kumar said, has accounted for 20 lakh migrants who have returned to their respective villages.
Uttar Pradesh (31), Madhya Pradesh (25), Rajasthan (22), Odisha (4) and Jharkhand (3) are other states where the scheme would be implemented. The Centre had set the criterion of 25000 or more migrants in a district for selection under the scheme in which the government is aiming to execute 25 kinds of works being implemented by 12 ministries in a mission mode.
“The Atmanirbhar package was unveiled with the Pradhanmantri Garib Kalyan Yojna. I recall when we came up with the scheme there were much uproars about what would happen to the industries, the MSMEs, trades and that the government should first address their concerns. Many criticized me, but I knew that holding hands of the poor was my priority,” said Modi during the launch through video conference from Telihar village in Khagaria, Bihar.
Modi said that the scheme was inspired from the story of a quarantine centre in Unnao, UP where the painter migrants from Bihar painted the school during their stay.