With 57 lakh workers, UP pips Rajasthan as top NREGS employer

LUCKNOW: More than 57 lakh unskilled workers were engaged in various projects under MNREGS in Uttar Pradesh 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 the 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 chief minister Yogi Adityanath, UP has created 8.08 crore mandays. He has asked the state to further create another 10 lakh mandays and we are working towards that goal,” said additional chief secretary (home) Awanish Awasthi.
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.