1 lakh people given jobs in 6 days under urban employment scheme in Rajasthan: Official

JAIPUR: The Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme has provided jobs to one lakh people in Rajasthan’s urban areas within six days of its launch, an official said on Thursday. There is a lot of enthusiasm among needy people in urban areas about this scheme and the number of beneficiaries is continuously increasing, the official said.

Job cards for more than 2.45 lakh families with the names of 3,83,639 people have been made under the scheme. So far, 1,39,798 people from 96,452 families have sought employment. Employment has been provided to about one lakh people in six days, said Local Self Government Department Secretary Jogaram.

He added that employment was being provided according to demand with immediate effect. It is the state government’s endeavour that no person should be deprived of employment, he added. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on September 9 launched the scheme, developed along the lines of the MGNREGA, to provide 100 days of employment to families in urban areas. Gehlot had announced the scheme during the state budget.

Under the scheme, the government will guarantee 100 days of employment in a year to needy families in urban areas. People in the 18-60 age range are eligible for the scheme. In the first year, the state government has allocated Rs 800 crore and Gehlot said there would be no shortage of funds.

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The chief minister said the MGNREGA was started during the UPA government at the Centre for employment in rural areas, which had a positive outcome. According to an official associated with the scheme, the wage of an unskilled labourer has been fixed at Rs 259 per day, while a skilled worker would be paid Rs 283 a day. Wages will be paid to the workers directly in their bank accounts within the stipulated period.

Jogaram said Rajasthan was the first state to launch such a scheme to guarantee employment in urban areas along the lines of MGNREGA. Under the scheme, projects on environment protection, water conservation, heritage conservation, maintenance of gardens, removal of encroachment, illegal sign boards, hoardings and banners, and sanitation will be undertaken.

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