The Government of India is set to launch a new rural public works scheme, the ‘Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan’, in an effort to provide livelihood opportunities for migrant workers and rural citizens returning to their home states due to the Covid-19 induced lockdown. This scheme will be launched via video-conferencing on June 20, 2020, from Telihar village, located in Bihar’s Khagaria district.
Key Points and Beneficiaries of the Scheme
Primarily, this program aims at empowering and providing livelihood opportunities for migrant workers and rural citizens who have returned home due to the ongoing pandemic. The campaign will operate in a mission mode for 125 days with a budget of Rs. 50,000 crore.
Geographical Coverage of the Scheme
A total of 116 districts spanning six states – Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Odisha – have been selected for this scheme. These states have received the highest number of returning migrant workers. The selected districts represent about two-thirds of such workers and include 27 Aspirational Districts, which are primarily characterized by poor socio-economic indicators. Improvement in these districts can significantly contribute to overall human development in India.
Implementing the Scheme
The rural public works scheme will implement 25 different types of works. Providing employment to the migrant workers while simultaneously creating infrastructure in rural regions is the dual focus of this project. Workers will participate in various tasks including construction of gram panchayat buildings, anganwadi centres, national highway works, railway works and water conservation projects across the selected states.
Coordinating Bodies
Twelve different Ministries/Departments, including Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Road Transport and Highways, Mines, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Environment, Railways, and others will coordinate the implementation of this scheme.
Connectivity via Common Service Centres (CSCs) and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)
The villages will participate in this programme through CSCs and KVKs, maintaining social distancing norms due to Covid-19. CSCs are a strategic cornerstone of the National e-Governance Plan, approved in May 2006 to introduce an e-governance model on a large scale. They provide high quality and cost-effective video, voice and data content and services including application forms, certificates and utility payments such as electricity, telephone and water bills.
Meanwhile, KVKs form an integral part of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS), one of the largest national agricultural research systems globally. With a variety of agro-climatic conditions, India conducts agricultural research to suit these diversified conditions. The first KVK was established in 1974 at Puducherry and today they play a pivotal role in doubling farmers’ income by 2022 through location-specific technology assessment, refinement and demonstrations.