Special package, Rs 500cr corpus for migrant workers: Patnaik

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced a special package for migrant labourers and a Rs 500 crore corpus fund to ensure "timely and uninterrupted" payment to workers under the MGNREGA.

Inaugurating the 'e-Shramik Samadhan' programme here, he said a state action plan will prevent distress migration of workers from 11 districts and ensure safety and welfare of Odia labourers working in other states. Patnaik said the state government has decided to increase the work days of the non-resident labourers of Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada and Kalahandi districts to 200 from 100 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREG) scheme with a hike in their daily wage from Rs 188 to Rs 286.30.

WATCH: Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik Attends Armed Forces Veterans' Day Event

"The state corpus fund of Rs 500 crore has been created to ensure timely and uninterrupted payment under the MGNREGA," the chief minister said, adding that all gram panchayats of the 20 identified blocks will be covered under Odisha Livelihood Mission.

Self Help Groups (SHGs) will be formed with members of each family in these blocks and financial assistance from Community Investment Fund (CIF) and Vulnerability Reduction Fund (VRF) would be extended to them, Patnaik said. All members of SHGs will be brought under insurance coverage, he said.

Patnaik also said identified SHGs in these blocks will be declared as banking correspondent in order to make availability of cash to the distress migrant workers. "One eligible youth from every household between 18 and 35 years will be covered under placement linked skill

development programme," the chief minister said. These apart, all eligible households in these blocks will be provided 'pucca' houses and a drive will be undertaken for registration of construction labourers with the Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board.

Apart from these four districts, the state government has also decided to bring all women SHG members under the insurance coverage in the seven districts of Sonepur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Khurda, the chief Minister added.

READ: Jagdeep Dhankhar Hails PM Ahead Of WB Visit, Says 'India Marching To Being Vishwa Guru'