After initial row, govt may expand list of districts under rural job scheme

Officials try to put to rest controversy over exclusion of West Bengal, other states from the list

Officials have sought to downplay the controversy that arose over the non-inclusion of districts in some states such as West Bengal in the recently launched rural jobs scheme, saying the scheme may be expanded after the end of the current month.   

The Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan was launched on Saturday to provide work for 125 days in 25 areas to the migrant workers in 116 districts of six states -- Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Jharkhand.

Any district in which over 25,000 migrants came back to their homes after the Centre implemented a nationwide lockdown in