Chhattisgarh to give additional 50 days work for MGNREGA

Now, the cardholder of MGNREGA will get 150 days of secured employment in the state

Chhattisgarh Government defines Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and will provide 50 days additional employment to the beneficiaries in the state.

The 100-day ceiling of guaranteed employment for the rural people would not be a bar in Chhattisgarh from now. The state government would provide job for additional 50 days---ensuring that the card holder of MGNREGA would get 150 days secured employment.

"The proposal to increase MGNREGA employment to 150 days was sent to the Government of India but no decision has, so far, been taken on this," Chief Minister Raman Singh said in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly on Thursday while speaking on the appropriation bill that the House passed later.

The additional employment of 50 days would be provided from the state budget, Singh said, adding that Chhattisgarh would be the first state in the country to make such practice.

The government had made the provision in the budget for the next financial year, the chief minister added.

The pregnant women holding the job cards under the MGNREGA would be entitled to maternity allowance equivalent to a month's wage. The state government would bear the expenditure, Singh added.

Besides MGNREGA sops, the state government had offered credit facility for the unemployed youths. Singh announced the launch of Mukhyamantri Yuva Swarojgar Yojana aimed to provide credit to unemployed youths in the state.

Singh also announced to set up a sports university in Rajnandgaon besides free distribution of laptops and tablets to 100,000 students of the final year of the graduation course.