Bihar, Odisha may resume NREGS

PATNA/BHUBANESWAR: Bihar and Odisha will soon allow resumption of works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employee Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the world’s biggest rural social security scheme, in an effort to provide relief to the rural poor hit by Covid-19 and consequent lockdown.

The nationwide, three-week lockdown ends on Tuesday, April 14. On Monday, most states submitted their plans for the postlockdown phase with a majority suggesting that the emergency measure continue with exemptions for agriculture and allied services and more measures to provide relief to the poor.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar told divisional commissioners and zonal inspectors general of police on Monday that a comprehensive plan was being prepared to generate employment opportunities for people.

The biggest concern of the state has been the lack of work for large number of people, including migrant workers who have returned from different states. The state also wants to complete flood management work before the onset of the monsoon.

Officials said the second phase of the lockdown after April 14 would be different, with the government planning to allow work under MGNREGS to resume or the conservation of traditional water sources, soil conservation, environment-specific crop cycles, organic farming, drip irrigation, rain water harvesting and use of solar energy.

“After harvesting, employment generation in rural areas will be the main focus, there is no reason to be complacent at any stage in view of the Covid-19 outbreak,” he added.

In Odisha, which has already announced extension of the lockdown until April 30, the government on Monday announced that work under MGNREGS and construction under Swachh Bharat (Clean India) scheme will be allowed, apart from all agricultural activities.

The state also plans to hire retired state and central police officers to enforce social distancing norms for the next six months, the police said.

According to the order issued by chief secretary Asit Tripathy, shops and establishments selling agricultural implements, cattle feed and fish feed, and food processing and packaging units will also be allowed to remain open during the extended lockdown.

The order said that activities relating to MGNREGS and construction of toilets under Swachh Bharat mission and individual houses under the rural housing scheme would be allowed.