The Odisha government on Tuesday decided to provide additional 200 days of employment under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in 20 migration prone blocks of four districts.
The State Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Patnaik has approved a new State sector scheme by giving State support to MGNREGS, which is expected to help arrest distress migration in the 20 migration-prone blocks of Balangir, Bargarh, Kalahandi and Nuapada.
“The job seekers under MGNREGA in the 20 migration-prone blocks will be paid additional wages over and above the notified wage rate under MGNREGA, to be commensurate with the notified minimum wage rate for unskilled workers in the State per person per day,” the Cabinet resolved.
The differential amount per person per day will be borne by the State government under the new scheme.
“The State government will provide additional 200 days of work over and above the guaranteed 100 days of work mandated under the MGNREGA, 2005 in the 20 migration prone blocks,” it said.
Activists working in the field of migration welcomed the move. They, however, emphasized on bringing in innovation in the programme.
“The government can think of addressing individual needs on job seekers’ convergence mode under MGNREGA. Moreover, they have to come up with changes keeping the seasonality of works in mind,” said Umi Daniel, an expert on migrant labour and head of the migration unit of Aide et Action, an NGO.
“Instead of providing 300 days of works, the government should have announced 365 days of work. The provisioning of works and increase of wages under MGNREGA would definitely indirectly benefit migrant workers. They would now bargain with their employers by giving instance of Odisha’s decision to provide higher wages in these blocks,” said Mr. Daniel.
