Jharkhand Launches Employment Schemes

Why in News

Recently, Jharkhand launched three employment schemes — Birsa Harit Gram Yojana (BHGY), Neelambar Pitambar JAL Sammridhi Yojana (NPJSY) and Veer Sahid Poto Ho Khel Vikas Scheme (VSPHKVS) — to create wage employment for workers in rural areas.

  • Earlier, the Odisha government has announced a Rs 100-crore Urban Wage Employment Initiative to generate employment for the urban poor in 114 urban local bodies.

Key Points

  • These three schemes have been devised in convergence with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
  • Issue: According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CIME) data, the State is reeling under severe joblessness with unemployment rate pegged at 47.1% — double that of the national average (23.5%).
    • The arrival of an estimated 5 lakh to 6 lakh stranded migrant workers (due to Covid-19 lockdown) from other states is likely to worsen the situation.
  • Through MGNREGA and these special schemes the state government plans to create 30 crore person days and provide wage employment to the rural people in the coming 5 years.
  • Birsa Harit Gram Yojana (BHGY):
    • The BHGY is envisaged at bringing over two lakh acres of unused government fallow land under the afforestation programme.
    • About five lakh families will be provided 100 fruit-bearing plants.
    • The initial plantation, maintenance, land work and afforestation will be taken up through MGNREGA.
    • Each family is estimated to receive an annual income of ₹50,000 from fruit harvest after three years while the ownership of land will remain with the government.
  • Neelambar Pitambar Jal Sammridhi Yojna (NPJSY):
    • Under this, the government is aiming at creating agro-water storage units by arresting rainwater and runaway groundwater.
    • Nearly 5 lakh acre of cultivable land can be irrigated through the initiative.
    • An estimated 10 crore person days will be generated through the scheme in the next 4-5 years.
  • Veer Sahid Poto Ho Khel Vikas Scheme (VSPHKVS):
    • Under VSPHKVS, the government is linking sports with rural job schemes for creation of assets in the rural areas in order to give a boost to sports.
    • About 5,000 sports grounds are being planned to be set up, with one each in all the 4,300 panchayats.

Source: TH