PM Modi launches Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan for migrants; assures jobs near their homes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched an employment scheme for migrant workers who went jobless due to Coronavirus induced lockdown. Aiming to turn the lockdown into an opportunity to boost development in rural areas, PM Modi launched 'Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan' and said that during lockdown the talent from cities returned to villages and it will now help the rural economy. 

Launching the 'Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan' via video conference in Bihar's Katihar in the presence of chief ministers of five states - Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and a minister of Odisha, PM Modi said there are some people who might not appreciate efforts of villagers in the fight against coronavirus but he applauds them for their efforts. The scheme will work in a mission mode in 116 districts across these six states where the maximum number of the migrant workers have returned.

PM Modi said, "The way villages have fought coronavirus has taught a big lesson to the cities. Talent has returned from cities during the lockdown, those whose labour and skills were behind the rapid growth of cities will now boost development of villages with the help of this scheme."

Underlining that migrant workers were always in Centre's thoughts during the lockdown, the Prime Minister said that it is an endeavour of his government that workers get jobs near their home and help in development of villages. Talking about infrastructure development of villages with the help of this scheme, the Prime Minister also said that for the first time Internet was being used more in villages than in cities and now work to increase the speed of Internet was being undertaken.

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In the beginning of his speech, the Prime Minister also paid tributes to the soldiers of Bihar regiment martyred in the Galwan faceoff with China.

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A total of 116 districts with more than 25,000 returnee migrant workers across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Odisha have been chosen for the campaign. It will be a coordinated effort between 12 different ministries. Here is a list of the 25 works announced by the Union government:-

• Community sanitation complex 
• Gram Panchayat Bhawan 
• Works under Finance Commission Funds 
• National Highway Works 
• Water conservation and harvesting works 
• Construction of wells 
• Plantation 
• Horticulture 
• Anganwadi centres 
• Rural housing 
• Rural connectivity and border works 
• Shyama Prasad Mukherjee RURBAN Mission 
• PM KUSUM works 
• Laying of Fiber Optical Cable under Bharat Net 
• Works under Jal Jeevan Mission 
• Works under PM Ganga Urja project 
• Training through KVKs for livelihoods 
• Works through District Mineral Fund 
• Solid and liquid waste management works 
• Farm ponds  
• Cattle sheds 
• Poultry sheds 
• Vermicomposting 

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Here is the full address: 

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