Image Source: TOI

Government of India has decided to launch a massive rural public works scheme 'Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan' to empower and provide livelihood opportunities to the returnee migrant workers and rural citizens," the Prime Minister's office said.

Here are the key points from the finance minister's address:
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* Within 125 days, for 116 districts, nearly 25 schemes of the government will be brought together under the 'Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan', we will reach saturation levels for each of those schemes within those 125 days: Sitharaman
* Villages across 116 districts in the six states will join this programme through the Common Service Centres and Krishi Vigyan Kendras.
* The campaign will be spread across 125 days and aims to work in mission mode to help migrant workers.
* It will involve intensified and focused implementation of 25 different types of works to provide jobs and create infrastructure in the rural regions of the country with a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crore.
* A total of 116 districts with more than 25,000 "returnee" migrant workers across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Odisha have been chosen for the campaign.
* The scheme will be a coordinated effort by 12 different ministries, including rural development, panchayati raj, road transport and highways, mines, drinking water and sanitation, environment, railways, petroleum and natural gas, new and renewable energy, border roads, telecom and agriculture.
* We are able to say approximately 116 districts, spread over 6 states in all have received substantial number of migrant workers: FM
* Combined outlay of the programme will be Rs 50,000 crore.
* The central and state governments have meticulously mapped the skill sets of the migrant workers who have returned in large numbers to the 116 districts in six states: FM
* Everyone who needs an assignment in these 116 districts will be given work under this campaign. The money allotted for this will be front-loaded: FM
* Activities which are otherwise spread over 6 months to 1 year are being front-loaded, so that there is no dearth of funds to execute the works during the 125 days: FM
* The Abhiyan provides a clear blueprint to engage the workers for the next 4 months, we will see how many of them will want to continue or go away in search of jobs elsewhere after this period: FM
* With the release of money to villages such as allocation to rural local bodies as recommended by the 15th finance commission, the Abhiyaan will provide work and enable asset creation in rural areas, powering rural development: FM
* The first priority of our campaign is to meet the immediate requirement of workers who have gone back to their districts, by providing them livelihood opportunities, that is why so many different schemes with a rural component have been included: Sitharaman
* Workers from all over the country wanted to go back to villages a little while after the lockdown began,& central & state governments made some arrangements,& they have gone back. We have looked at the districts to which they have largely returned: Sitharaman
* The campaign will cater to the need of job creation in rural areas and thereby also lay the foundation for a more prosperous rural India: Secretary, ministry of rural development (MoRD)
* Provision of gas pipelines, skill development training, works under District Mineral Fund, waste management works and other activities important for livelihood comprise the 25 works which will be offered to migrant workers: MoRD
* Anganwadi centres, Rural roads, rural housing, Railway works, RURBAN Mission in rural areas which are taking shape of urban areas, solar pumpset, laying of fibre optic cables, jaljeevan are various works included in the 25 public works: MoRD
* In each of the 116 districts, at least 25,000 migrant workers have gone back to each district: FM
* Honoured to present some details on the Abhiyan which PM Modi will launch on June 20: Sitharaman
* The programme will be launched from village Telihar, Block Beldaur of Khagaria district of Bihar.