NASHIK :
In the light of government effort to provide sufficient work at a time when the loss of livelihoods due to the lockdown and returning migrant workers have increased the need for work in the villages, there is a rising demand for works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in Nashik division.
As many as 75,997 labourers have been provided employment opportunities in rural areas of the Nashik division under the MGNREGA.
Under MGNREGA, 98,851 works have been placed on the shelf and more than 1 lakh unfinished tasks are available. The administration is prepared to provide employment to the person with the job card as soon as he demands the job. Out of total 5077 gram panchayats in the division, works have been started in 2603 panchayat zones.
There are altogether 10310 labourers are working under the scheme in Ahmednagar district, 11080 in Dhule, 5441 in Jalgaon, 20344 in Nashik and 28800 laborers in Nandurbar district. The work is being done by observing social distancing and wearing protective masks.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray himself has directed district authorities to provide employment to the people in rural areas through MGNREGA. Under the guidance of divisional commissioner Rajaram Mane and deputy commissioner Dr. Arjun Chikhale, efforts are being made to carry out more water conservation and silt removal works in the division.
The workers are being paid Rs 238 a day. The wages are directly credited into the bank account of the labourers within eight days after the end of the muster. Therefore, this scheme which gives guaranteed employment is getting good response in rural areas.
The village is also benefiting as various works like CCT, forest ponds, silt removal, roads, housing, nurseries, orchards, afforestation are being undertaken under this scheme. In particular, the ongoing silt removal work at many places will increase the water storage capacity and benefit the villages.
Among the works started, 11974 works under individual capacity are in progress and over 49000 labourers are being employed in it. While there are 1177 public works and about 27,000 labourers are being provided employment. Dr. Chikhale has appealed that this scheme is proving to be useful for the rural populace as many people have lost their jobs during the COVID-19 crisis and more and more citizens in turn are benefitting from the scheme.