Indian Railways generates more than 5.5 lakhs mandays of work under Gareeb Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan in Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh

New Delhi: Indian Railways on Sunday (August 16, 2020) said that it has generated more than 5.5 lakhs mandays of work under Gareeb Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan in 6 States namely Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Around 165 Railway infrastructure projects are being executed in these six states worth Rs 2988 crores. 

Till August 14, 2020, around 11296 workers have been engaged in this Abhiyaan and the payment of Rs 1336.84 crores has been released to the contractors for the projects being implemented.

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

Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal has directed Railway administration at Zonal level to act proactively to ensure migrants’ are engaged in projects and paid accordingly.

Railway has identified various types of railway works which are being executed under this scheme. 

The works are related to the construction and maintenance of approach roads for level crossings, development and cleaning of silted waterways, trenches and drains along the track, construction and maintenance of approach road to railway stations, repair and widening of existing railway embankments/cuttings, plantation of trees at the extreme boundary of railway land and protection works of existing embankments/cuttings/bridges.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan to empower and provide livelihood opportunities in areas/ villages witnessing a large number of returnee migrant workers affected by the devastating COVID-19. 

PM Modi announced that an amount of Rs 50,000 crores would be spent for building durable rural infrastructure under the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan.

According to the Ministry of Railways, public works being undertaken during this campaign will have a resource envelope of Rs. 50,000 crores.