COVID-19: Bring MNREGA-like scheme in urban areas to help unemployed, Gehlot tells Puri

Livelihoods of a large section of people in urban areas have been affected due to the pandemic, the Rajasthan CM said in a letter to Hardeep Singh Puri

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday urged Union Urban Development and Housing Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to introduce an employment guarantee scheme in urban areas on the lines of MGNREGA to help those rendered unemployed due to the coronavirus crisis.

Livelihoods of a large section of people in urban areas have been affected due to the pandemic, he said in a letter to Puri.

The Centre should introduce a scheme to provide employment to the jobless in urban areas for a fixed period, Gehlot said.

He also requested Puri to allocate more funds to Rajasthan in various urban development schemes, extend the time period of the schemes and release Rs 788 crore pending under such schemes soon.

The chief minister said the Centre should consider extending the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) for the next two financial years and make the budget available to the state by 31 March, 2022.

The period of the scheme ended on March 31 this year.

Gehlot also urged the Union minister to release the outstanding amount of Rs 662 crore under the central government's Amrut Mission.