UP govt inks MOUs with industry bodies for 11 lakh jobs to migrant workers

The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday signed initial agreements with various industry bodies to help in providing 11 lakh jobs to migrant labourers who have returned to the state in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Indian Industries Association (IIA) accounted for three lakh jobs each, while NARDECO and Laghu Udyog Bharati accounted for 2.5 lakh jobs each, UP MSME minister Sidharth Nath Singh told PTI.

He said memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, whose promise to provide jobs to migrants returning to the state was fulfilled by the MSME department of the UP government.

"To those who had raised questions as to how the state government will carry out the gigantic task of providing 11 lakh jobs to skilled and semi-skilled labourers, the MSME department has given the answer," Singh asserted.

The minister pointed out that certain states had considered UP labourers as liability, "but, Adityanath converted them into assets". 

Singh said his department has set up a control room for migrant labourers and has so far ensured payment of Rs 1,700 crore dues to workers in 75,000 units.

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