With 57 lakh workers, Uttar Pradesh tops as MNREGS employer

LUCKNOW: More than 57 lakh unskilled workers were engaged in various projects under MNREGS in UP on Monday, making the state the largest contributor to employment generation in the country under the flagship programme.

With 57.2 lakh people involved in some or the other project as on Monday, UP trumped Rajasthan to reach the first position, contributing 18% to the total employment in the country under th scheme. In second place, Rajasthan contributed 17% with 53.45 lakh workers employed, followed by Andhra Pradesh which contributed to 12% with 36.58 lakh workers, and West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh both contributing 8% at 26.72 lakh and 23.95 lakh workers respectively.
“Earlier Rajasthan was ahead of us but as of Sunday, UP has occupied the first place. Under directions from CM Yogi Adityanath, UP has created 8.08 crore man-days. He has asked the state to create another 10 lakh mandays and we are working towards that goal,” said additional chief secretary (home) Awanish Awasthi.
30 lakh migrants returned to state during lockdown
The creation of mandays has been calculated from April 21, the date from which the government started distribution of job cards under MNREGA.
With over 30 lakh migrants and their families having returned to the state during lockdown, the government is looking forward to generating sufficient employment to retain the workforce in the state.
Other than MNREG schemes, other avenues that the government is considering for employment generation include work in MSMEs, construction and industrial sectors. The government has signed an MoU with industry bodies for creation of 11 lakh jobs within a year.
“As construction work is set to gain momentum in the state, more opportunities will open up in the sector. Already, 3,083 projects worth Rs 41,750 crore are operational under PWD in which 41,468 workers are employed,” Awasthi said.
He said another 54 projects were functional under construction and design services of Jal Nigam where 6,584 people were working.
At least 3,711 workers are employed in 128 projects under AMRUT Scheme while 9,916 people are working in 444 projects being run by the Housing Board and Development Authority. Awas Vibhag has also restarted 926 projects in which 20,211 people are currently employed.
Over the past few weeks, 22,26,254 workers have reached UP so far by 1,649 trains. One train each reached the state from Maharashtra and Karnataka on Monday.
“UP is arranging special trains to ferry brick kiln workers from other states to their native places as kilns will close down operations during monsoon season. At least 14 trains have already been operated while nine more carried passengers to Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh on Monday. Another 20 are scheduled to operate in coming days,” Awasthi said.