MGNREGA employs over 49.5 lakh people in Rajasthan alone

JAIPUR: It is quite evident how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected every sphere of life to some extent. Due to the pandemic and the consequent lockdown in India, national unemployment rates have skyrocketed and are expected to rise even further with time. However, during this time, the central government’s flagship employment scheme – the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has recorded great success this year. In Rajasthan alone, as on Saturday, June 6, over 49.5 lakh people were employed under MGNREGA. This marks an increase of 17 lakh people as compared to the same day last year.

However, according to officials, the spike was not only because of the large number of people who have returned home. A large section of the people who got employment under MGNREGA this year are locals who lost their jobs owing to the Covid-19 lockdown.  PC Kishan, Commissioner, MGNREGA Rajasthan, said that a total of 49,52,496 people in 9,983-gram panchayats across the state have been employed under the scheme as on June 6.

Kishan also stated that there is sufficient evidence to prove that the scheme has been a success amongst migrant workers who have returned to the state amid the lockdown. This is evident from the fact that a large proportion of the people employed under the Act also belong to the border districts of Rajasthan. A large number of people who returned from other states are now residing in these border districts.

The state government has also lauded the success of the scheme, along with several gram panchayats and experts. According to officials, Rajasthan is currently at the top in terms of employing MGNREGA.