Bengal tops in MGNREGA again

Kolkata: Bengal once again tops all the states in creating man days under MGNREGA by providing 100 days work to 1.1 crore people.

The continuous effort of the Bengal government in properly implementing 100 days job scheme helped lakhs of migrant labourers to get a means of livelihood when they returned to the state losing their jobs amidst pandemic situation. This is the fifth consecutive year when the Bengal government surpassed all other states in creating 100 days work. It has received an award from the Centre for the past four years for its success in creating mandays under the scheme.

In the 2020-21 fiscal, 1.1 crore people were provided with jobs under the scheme and it led to creation of 36 crore mandays. At the same time, the state government's necessary steps helped 3.80 lakh migrant workers get new job cards and around 6.46 lakh migrant labourers were provided with jobs.

Suitable jobs under 100 days work scheme was also provided to women and even to differently abled people as well.

It may be recalled that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a video conference with all district magistrates directing them to take necessary steps so that the rural populace including the migrant workers do not face any problem in getting jobs under the scheme.

This is one of the rarest occasions in the history of MGNREGA when 1.1 crore people have been involved in the scheme in a state. In Bengal, "total individuals worked" were 79.69 lakh, 74.42 lakh

and 81.01 lakh in 2019-20, 2018-19 and 2017-18 fiscals respectively.