Railways generated over 8 lakh man-days of work under Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan

Over 8.09 lakh man-days of work have been generated by the Indian Railways in six states under the Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan to tackle the impact of COVID-19 on migrant workers, the ministry said Tuesday.

As per a statement from the Indian Railways, the Abhiyan has been implemented in 116 districts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

"A total of 8,09,046 man-days of work have been generated and 12,276 workers have been engaged in this Abhiyaan. A payment of Rs 1,631.80 crores has been released to the contractors for the projects being implemented," the statement said.

"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. Railway has appointed nodal officers in each district as well as in the States so that close coordination is established with the State Government," the statement added.

It further said that works related to construction and maintenance of approach roads for level crossings, development and cleng of silted waterways, repair and widening of existing railway embankments, plantation of trees at extreme boundaries, among several others would be executed under this scheme.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the massive employment -cum- rural public works campaign Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan to empower and provide livelihood opportunities in areas and villages that witnessed a large number of returnee migrant workers affected by the devastating COVID-19 on June 20. An amount of Rs 50,000 crores would be spent for building durable rural infrastructure under the Abhiyaan," the statement added.

It also said that the Abhiyaan was a convergent effort between 12 different Ministries/Departments, namely Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Road Transport and Highways, Mines, Drinking Water and Station, Environment, Railways, Petroleum and Natural Gas, New and Renewable Energy, Border Roads, Telecom and Agriculture, to expedite implementation of 25 public infrastructure works and works relating to augmentation of livelihood opportunities.

( With inputs from ANI )