Chhattisgarh tops in employing most labourers under MNREGA during lockdown

RAIPUR: During the nationwide lockdown implemented for prevention of corona infection, state government is working extensively to save rural economy and to protect livelihood of people in rural areas. Chhattisgarh is currently leading in the country in terms of providing employment to villagers under MNREGA, during lockdown. Nearly 24% of the labourers employed under MNREGRA across the country are from Chhattisgarh.This is the highest in the country. Currently 18.51 lakh labourers have been employed under various ongoing MNREGA works in 9,883 gram panchayats of the state.
Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and panchayat and rural development minister TS Singhdeo has also applauded the active approach and quick action of Sarpanchs for better implementation of MNREGA under these difficult circumstances. They congratulated sarpanchs, state unit of MNREGA, and district and janpad panchayat teams for the achievement in these difficult times of pandemic. They said that with active participation and efforts of these teams, MNREGA works are being conducted while ensuring physical distancing, wearing of masks and adhering to the hygiene standards, to bring relief to the labourer families.
According to the statistics released by Union rural development ministry, nearly 77.85 lakh labourers have been employed under MNREGA works across the country. This includes highest number of labourers employed i.e. 18.51 lakh labourers in Chhattisgarh alone, nearly one fourth of the total number of labourers employed across the country.
Second in this list is Rajasthan with 14% of the total number of labourers employed, and third is Uttar Pradesh with 12% of the total number of labourers employed in the country. Despite the nationwide lockdown, Chhattisgarh has performed excellently in implementation of MNREGA in current fiscal year, as it did last year.
In Chhattisgarh, disticts such as Rajnandgaon, Janjgir-Champa and Mahasamund have provided employment to highest number of labourers under MNREGA. 1.74 lakh labourers have been provided employment in Rajnandgaon district, 1.39 lakh in Janjgir-Champa district, 1.28 lakh in Mahasamund district, 1.25 lakh in Kabirdham district, 1.18 lakh in Mungeli district, 1.14 lakh in Bilaspur district, 1.10 lakh in Balod district, 90985 in Balodabazar-Bhatapara district, 87747 in Bemetara district, 82297 in Raipur district, 80732 in Dhamtari, 64323 in Jashpur 63969 in Garibanad, 58732 in Durg, 56278 in Kanker, 55309 in Surajpur, 47271 in Sarguja, 46722 in Raigarh, 41518 in Koriya, 37801 in Balrampur-Ramanujganj, 30824 in Korba, 23999 in Kondagaon, 18800 in Bastar, 12911 in Dantewada, 9925 in Narayanpur and 9257 labourers have been provided employment in Bijapur district under MNREGA.