₹28k-crore released to states to cover MGNREGS dues

THE CENTRE HAS INCREASED THE RATE OF PAYMENT UNDER MGNREGS FOR WORK WITH EFFECT

FROM APRIL 1

NEW DELHI: The government has released ~28,729 crore to the states to liquidate pending dues of both wage and material under MGNREGS as part of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package upto June 2 in this financial year, said a finance ministry statement.

The government has increased the rate of payment under MGNREGS for work with effect from April 1 to largely help migrant workers who are without work due to the lockdowns and suspension of business activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

So far (upto June 2) in this financial year 48.13 crore mandays of work have been generated under MGNREGS. The government is looking at its employment guarantee scheme to help workers find temporary employment and get wages on their return home. The government has increased MGNREGA wages by ~20 in this financial year that will provide additional benefit of ~2000 annually to a worker.

The ~1.7 lakh crore PMGKP package was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on March 26 to protect the weaker and most vulnerable sections of society from the impact of the lockdowns.

Under the package, the government announced free foodgrains and cash payment to women and poor senior citizens and farmers. Its swift implementation is being continuously monitored by Central and state governments.

Under the PMGKP, the government has also so far provided 36.93 lakh tonne foodgrains to 73.86 crore beneficiaries for April, 32.92 lakh tonne foodgrains to 65.85 crore beneficiaries for May and 3.58 lakh tonne foodgrains to 7.16 crore beneficiaries for June.

Besides, 1.91 lakh tonne of pulses have also been provided to 17.9 crore households out of a total of 19.4 crore beneficiaries.

The plan to give advance benefit to EPFO subscribers has also be lapped up by 16.1 lakh members of EPFO taking the benefit of online withdrawal of non-refundable advance amounting to ~4,725 crore so far till June 2.

The government has amended EPFO regulations to include Covid-19 pandemic as the reason to allow non-refundable advance of 75 per cent of the amount or three months wages whichever is lower, from their accounts. FamiSenior Congress leader lies of four crore workers stand to M Veerappa Moily on Wednesbenefit from this window. day hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying instead of addressing real concerns, he was again resorting to the rhetoric of ‘road to self-reliance’ which is “nowhere in sight”. Moily’s remarks came a day after Modi, at the CII’S annual session, on Tuesday had explained the concept of ‘Atma-nirbhar Bharat’ or Self-reliant India - one where products are ‘Made in India’ for the world and a nation that is not dependent on others in strategic sectors.

“The address by the Prime Minister to the CII yesterday is a big joke on the economic distress facing the country. The need of the hour is to have an honest approach to the plight of the people of the country,” Moily said in a statement. In his address prior to ‘Lockdown 1’, the prime minister said the ‘Mahabharata’ war was won in 18 days, but the fight against Covid-19 will take 21 days, Moily recalled. After urging the nation to light candles and ‘diyas’ for nine minutes at 9 pm to “defeat the despair” brought by the pandemic, all statements thereafter have proved hollow and several such remarks are far from the truth, he said.

Noting that even NITI Aayog gave a report that Covid-19 will not survive beyond May 31, Moily said the confidence of the people is at the lowest.