New Delhi: Indian Railways has generated more than 6,40,000 mandays of work under Gareeb Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan in six states including Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh while executing around 165 Railway infrastructure projects in these states, according to Ministry of Railways statement.

Till August 21, 12,276 workers have been engaged in this Abhiyaan and the payment of Rs 1,410.35 crores was released to the contractors for the projects being implemented. 

Railway has appointed nodal officers in each district as well as in the states so that close coordination is established with the state government. 

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal is stated to have been closely monitoring the progress made in these projects and the generation of work opportunities for the migrant labours of these states under this scheme. 

Railway has also identified a number of railway works that are being executed under this Gareeb Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan scheme. The works are related to (i) construction and maintenance of approach roads for level crossings, (ii) development and cleaning of silted waterways, trenches and drains along the track, (iii) construction and maintenance of approach road to railway stations, (iv) repair and widening of existing railway embankments/cuttings, (v) plantation of trees at extreme boundary of railway land and (vi) protection works of existing embankments/ cuttings/bridges. 

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan to empower and provide livelihood opportunities in areas/ villages witnessing a large number of returnee migrant workers affected by the COVID-19 on 20th June 2020. The Prime Minister announced that an amount of Rs 50,000 crores would be spent for building durable rural infrastructure under the scheme. 

This Abhiyaan of 125 days, is being undertaken in mission mode and involves focused implementation of 25 categories of works/ activities in 116 districts, each with a large concentration of returnee migrant workers in 6 states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Public works are being undertaken during this campaign will have a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crores. 

The Abhiyaan is a convergent effort between 12 different ministries/departments, namely; 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, to expedite implementation of 25 public infrastructure works and works relating to augmentation of livelihood opportunities.