PM Modi to launch Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan on June 20; to focus on rural livelihood

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan on June 20 to boost rural livelihood opportunities. The scheme that would start from Bihar and encompass six states will help in job opportunities for rural citizens and returnee migrants. Apart from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Odisha would benefit from this scheme.

The campaign would run for 125 days and will be in mission mode. The campaign would focus on the implementation of 25 different types of works that could provide employment to the migrant workers as well as enhance infrastructure in the rural regions. The campaign would have a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crore.

The scheme would be launched by PM Modi at 11 am on June 20 through video conferencing in the presence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The Abhiyaan would be launched from Village Telihar of Khagaria district.

The government said in a statement that the Chief Ministers of the other five states and concerned ministries would also participate in the virtual launch. "The villages across 116 districts in the six States will join this programme through the Common Service Centres and Krishi Vigyan Kendras, maintaining the norms of social distancing in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic," it said.

A total of 116 districts across the six states with more than 25,000 returnee migrants have been chosen for this campaign. Out of these districts are 27 'aspirational' districts too.

The campaign would be a coordinated effort between 12 ministries and departments including Road Transport & Highways, Rural Development, Petroleum & Natural Gas, Railways, Telecom, Agriculture, New & Renewable Energy, Border Roads, Drinking Water & Sanitation, the government said.