62.52 lakh people of over 31.50 lakh active families in the state depend on MNREGA for livelihood
Labourers to be provided relief from problems during lockdown through food security
Raipur, April 23, 2020/ Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel wrote a letter to Union Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar requesting for his approval to provide food grains as wages to laborers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGA).
In his letter, the chief minister said that payment of wages under MNREGA gets credited to the labourers’ bank account directly through National Electronic Fund Management System (NEFMS).
He added that livelihood of 62 lakh 52 thousand persons of 31 lakh 50 thousand active families in the state is dependent on MNREGA. In such a situation, implementation of the scheme using all means of effective lockdown is mandatory.
Chief Minister Baghel stated in the letter that MNREGA works are being conducted in the state, while adhering to all the precautionary measures to prevent coronavirus, and currently about 5 lakh workers are being employed every day. Baghel added that after the wage amount is credited into their bank accounts, labourers will have to withdraw money to fulfill their primary needs like food (food grains), which will cause major inconvenience to them and it will also become difficult to ensure social distancing.
He further said that there is a shortage of bank branches in Chhattisgarh, and the problem of internet connectivity in Naxal affected and aspirational districts should also be considered, which causes problems like link failure. As a result, workers have no option but to go all the way to bank branches to withdraw the amount.
Chief Minister also mentioned that State Government has adequate quantity of food grains available along with the effective system of distribution. He requested the union minister to give permission to the state government to distribute food grains as wages to the laborers working under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, so as to ensure food security for villagers in the current circumstances.
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