With migration on, govt gives fillip to rural jobs scheme

Anticipating a surge in the demand for rural jobs with migrants returning to the state, the government has fixed a target of generating 13 crore persondays of job under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) this financial year.

In order to help the scheme find more takers during the Covid-19 pandemic, the government has come out with a mobile app called "Kayaka Mitra" with which those seeking NREGS jobs can apply. The Android app, which hit the Google Play store on April 30, has seen over 5,000 downloads so far.

The MGNREGS is considered a key intervention to prevent migration. So, the government is looking to provide employment under this to all those who return to their native villages.

"In 2019-20, our target was to generate 12 crore persondays of work. We managed to achieve 11.25 crore. The shortfall of 75 lakh was due to the flooding during September-October 2019 and the Covid-19 pandemic during the last two weeks of March," Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Principal Secretary L K Atheeq said.

While the government expected the demand for rural jobs under the MGNREGS to surge, given the Covid-19 pandemic, the 13-crore target can be revised later, if need be. "We can always go back to the Centre asking for more," Atheeq said.

Owing to the Covid-19 crisis, the wages under the MNREGA per worker have been increased to Rs 275 per day.

According to data, the pandemic had an adverse impact on MGNREGS in April. Only 32% of the targetted 75.40 lakh persondays of work was generated, with coronavirus-hit Kalaburagi last on the table - 22,000 persondays against the desired 3.77 lakh.

Authorities hope the Kayaka Mitra app will boost rural job applications. "It’s a simple app that allows workers to submit applications remotely. The applications get pushed to the gram panchayat concerned. The panchayat development officers will download the applications and take up works to give the applicants employment," Atheeq explained. He clarified that the app was not a replacement of the paper-based application process.

"Labour organisations, wherever they are active, will hopefully help labourers file them,” he added.