LABOURERS GRATEFUL TO PM FOR RECOGNITION

KANPUR: The men from Unnao whose work inspired Prime Minister Narendra Modi to launch the Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan for migrant labourers are thankful to him for publicly acknowledging their effort.

The three men painted and repaired the Unnao school where they were quarantined in April. It was their way of giving back to the institution where they had studied once, two of them said. In his address on Saturday, the PM said he got the idea for the scheme came from a group of men who repaired and painted a government school in Unnao.

The men, Vinod Kumar, Arun Kumar and Kamlesh Kumar, had walked all the way from Hyderabad during the lockdown. They were lodged at Narayanpur primary school in Unnao’s Hasangunj in April to complete their 14-day quarantine.

Instead of sitting idle, they decided to work. They asked block development officer Dhirendra Rawat to help them get plaster of paris, paint and brushes to change the face of the school.

Rawat said he was pleasantly surprised with the demand at that time. He arranged the material asked by them. They worked on the school building, repairing and painting the boundary walls as well. “They made the entire school look new and did not ask for money even once. They said they can’t give up their habit of working,” he said.

Vinod Kumar and Kamlesh Kumar are still in their village while Arun has left for another city for work.

After the PM applauded their role, Unnao district magistrate Ravindra Kumar visited Vinod and Kamlesh at their village to felicitate them. “The prime minister acknowledged their work and was inspired to launch such a big scheme. This is a matter of pride for the entire district. It is a big honour for all of us,” he said.

Vinod said he was happy that he could do something for the school where he studied once with the two others.

“We had time and there was no other work. We decided to paint the entire school. It is the only work we know,” he said.

Both of them said they hadn’t thought that word about their work would reach the prime minister and he would acknowledge it in this fashion.