10 lakh migrant workers employed under MNREGS

Lucknow: Considered as one of the biggest job spinners in the time of the coronavirus crisis, the Centre’s flagship Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) has managed to engage as many as 10 lakh migrants who came back to the state during the lockdown.

Data from the rural development department reveals that as many as 30 lakh people have returned to the state after the lockdown rendered them jobless.

Records, updated till August 1, show that MNREGS jobs were provided to the migrants at the level of gram panchayat in all 75 districts. Districts like Maharajganj, Deoria, Gonda and Gorakhpur, which are reported to have received most of the migrants, engaged them under MNREGS.

Additional commissioner, MNREGS, Yogesh Kumar said that the number of migrants would increase gradually in the coming days. According to rural development department sources, as many as 5 lakh fresh MNREGS cards were issued to the migrants. This has now almost doubled, in a clear indication of the scheme being the biggest employer of migrants even as the state government aims to kickstart the economy dented by the pandemic.

Records show that of the nearly 20 lakh unskilled labourers engaged by the department, more than 10 lakh are in the 36 orange zone districts, followed by over 5 lakh in 20 green zone districts. Likewise, in the 19 red zone districts, 4 lakh labourers have been engaged.

“The scheme came in handy as most migrants opted to get employed under it. It has since seen diversification in many other departments,” a senior official said.

Latest records show that the scheme is being implemented in 13,691 gram panchayats of 20 districts classified as green zone districts. Likewise, in 36 orange category districts, MNREGS jobs are being provided in 25,531 gram panchayats. The number, however, lessens to 10,745 gram panchayats in 19 red zone districts. In all, the MNREGS is being executed in around 50,000 gram panchayats, records said.

In terms of man days, the 20 districts in the green zone saw around 6 crore man days, while in 36 orange zone districts around 10 crore man days have been generated. In the red zone, however, the number of man days dips to 3 lakh. In all, 18 crore man days of jobs have been generated under MNREGS.

Employing migrants

Top 5 districts where maximum number of migrants were engaged under MNREGS

Siddharth Nagar: 53,551

Hardoi: 41,013

Azamgarh: 38,883

Gorakhpur: 36,293

Basti: 34,968