Rs 50,000 Cr, 125 Days, 116 Districts: Modi Launches Job Scheme for Migrant Workers Back Home

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a Rs 50,000 crore mega job scheme for migrant workers who returned to their home states during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The mega employment scheme, to be launched from Bihar's Khagaria district, will be rolled out in 116 districts which have received the largest numbers of workers from urban centres.

“I am glad that I have been able to interact with so many who have been affected by COVID-19. I am glad that we were able to help the migrants by providing them trains to go home. COVID-19 has affected the whole world...but you have shown courage...our villages have shown cities how to fight the virus,” he said at the launch.

Lately, a considerable number of migrant workers have returned back to their states from urban and industrial centres due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.

Modi said the scheme would help migrant workers find employment close to their homes. “Today is a historic day...today we are beginning a big new scheme for the poor...this will benefit the migrant labourers and our brothers and sisters in villages. This scheme will ensure that all migrant labourers will get a jobs close to their homes.”

“I was inspired to launch this scheme because of migrant labourers This scheme will be given 50,000cr for the development of villages and labourers in those villages,” he added.

At a curtain raiser press meet on the launch of the Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that 25 existing schemes have been brought together to provide jobs to migrant workers.

She said that districts have been chosen on the basis on having received at least 25,000 migrant workers.

Besides, the minister said that Rs 50,000 crore will be front loaded for the mega job scheme and that skill mapping of these workers have been conducted.

She said that scheme will result in livelihood for migrant workers for 125 days and create assets for these districts.

Geographical-spread wise, Bihar has the highest number of such districts numbering 32, followed by Uttar Pradesh at 31, Madhya Pradesh at 24 and Rajasthan at 22.