Haryana's Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Tuesday said that the works under MGNREGA will be encouraged and the state has targeted to spend Rs 1,000 crore this year under the scheme, which is more than double over the previous year.
Haryana gives Rs 309 per day as MGNREGA wages and during the present crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic emphasis will be given to provide work opportunities to more people by increasing the works under the MGNREGA in the coming days.
Chautala also said that as the state has eased restrictions as per the Centre's guidelines, maximum activities in the industrial sector were being allowed in the current phase of the lockdown, barring the ones falling in containment zones. IT sector has also been permitted to open fully subject to the adherence of the guidelines, he said.
Referring to MGNREGA, he told the media here that under this scheme, more than Rs 450 crore had been spent in the year 2019, but in the current financial year, a target to spend Rs 1,000 crore has been kept.
"We have 6 lakh registered active MGNREGA job cardholders and we will involve them in forest department works, building cattle shed in poor households, constructing Public Works Department roads, irrigation canals," he said, adding with this unskilled labour will get employment which will also help boost the rural economy.
He said the state government will soon be launching a job portal to facilitate employment opportunities for the youth.
On the permission to the industry, Chautala, whose party JJP is a coalition partner of the BJP in the state, said the government will give permission on priority to any labour-intensive industry so that it generates employment and helps people during present difficult times.
Any kind of industry will have to apply online, giving details of employees so that movement passes can be generated in view of the lockdown, he said.
However, for in-situ labour residing within the factory or unit site, no passes shall be required.
As economic activities re-start barring in the containment zones, Haryana will also look to boost its revenues which had dried up during the first two phases of the lockdown.
While bringing day-to-day activities gradually back on track, the government will ensure that all guidelines are strictly enforced, he said.
Chief Minister M L Khattar had on Monday said as the fourth phase of the nationwide COVID-19-triggered lockdown has been implemented, the scope of relaxations, allowed in the previous lockdown, have further been widened in accordance with the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines.
Apart from this the areas other than the containment zone will be considered as orange zone and all non-restricted activities will resume in such areas, Khattar had said.
While most shops had already opened in the third phase of lockdown, the Deputy Commissioners will decide on the timings of their openings in the districts, officials said.
As per the guidelines, wearing of masks/face covers has been made compulsory in all public places and workplaces. Spitting in public and workplaces shall be a punishable offence with a fine.
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