In an attempt to boost rural unemployment and provide work to migrant workers who have returned home due to the coronavirus lockdown, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 20 June, launched the 'Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan'.
PM Modi also interacted with various tehsildars and villagers from Bihar’s Khagaria and asked them about their plight due to the lockdown, inquiring into how the scheme would come to their aid.
25 government schemes will be brought together to provide employment to migrant workers in 116 districts for 125 days, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had earlier announced, stating that the outlay would be Rs 50,000 crore.
“It could be various works like digging wells, laying roads, building panchayat buildings etc,” she had said.
PM Modi also spoke about the contribution of the Bihar Regiment, when lauding the sacrifices made by those who lost their lives during the clash between the two sides at Patrolling Point No 14 near the LAC.
“Today when I am speaking to people of Bihar, I will say the valour was of Bihar Regiment, every Bihari is proud of it. I pay tributes to the braves who laid down their lives for the nation,” he said.
PM Modi said that the “inspiration” behind such a scheme had come from the migrant workers themselves, referring to an incident from Uttar Pradesh.
“It happened in UP’s Unnao. Migrant workers on their own, staying at a government school painted and renovated it instead of sitting idle. When I saw the patriotism in those people, these people are meant to do something,” he said.
Speaking about how India had handled the health crisis, PM Modi said that india had performed very well taking into account its population size compared to Western countries.
“During this coronavirus pandemic, our rural sector has shown remarkable resilience. If a similar crisis had taken place in a Western country, it would have become an international talking point. We must be grateful to our rural health network and village leaders who played a key role in helping thier fellow citizens during this time,” he said.
Scheme Will be Boon for our Migrant Brothers: PM
Pm Modi said that the 25 schemes are those that will benefit the standard of living in the village in general, and could be done while living at home with families.
“Starting from Khargaria’s Tehriar today, a mandi, well, public toilet, Anganwadi centre will be built. Every need of the village will be fulfilled through this scheme. In some places, houses will be built for the poor, sheds for the poor. Essential facilities will be taken up and Panchayat Bhavans will be built where there are none,” he said.
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