COVID-19: MGNREGA activities resume across Jammu

Activities under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) resumed in Jammu division on Saturday after an almost two-month suspension owing to the coronavirus-forced lockdown, officials said.

The decision to resume works under MGNREGA was taken following a Home Affairs order allowing select additional activities in rural areas outside containment zones to mitigate the economic hardships being faced by people due to curbs, a spokesperson said.

Work has resumed on 5,800 projects in all the 10 districts of Jammu division.

"More than 25,000 job card holders have been engaged in these works. The director of Rural Development Department RDD has instructed the officers concerned to complete all works under MGNREGA, while ensuring that guidelines for curbing COVID-19 spread are followed," the spokesperson said.

While undertaking the works under the flagship scheme, the department is ensuring that rural infrastructure gets augmented through restoration of traditional water bodies and ponds.

"This is all the more imperative as summer is upon us and this time some rural areas face severe water crises," the spokesperson said.