Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched ‘Garib Kalyan Rojgar Yojana’ to provide boost livelihood opportunities in India, especially in rural areas.

On the occasion, PM Modi spoke to many people from different parts of the nation who returned to their hometowns amid the coronavirus imposed lockdown and asked them about the difficulties they faced during the lockdown.

On Saturday, PM Modi launched the scheme worth Rs 50,000 crore via video conference in presence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi. Chief ministers of other five states and Union ministers also took part in the virtual launch.

The campaign which runs in 116 districts for 125 days aims to work to help migrant workers. The programme will cover districts in Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Rajasthan. All districts have seen over 25,000 migrant workers returning.

The campaign will involve strengthened and attentive implementation of 25 different types of works to provide jobs and create an organisation in the rural areas of the country with a resource cover of Rs 50,000 crore. The programme, meant at boosting livelihood occasions in rural areas, will “create durable infrastructure along with boosting employment opportunities,” an official communique said.

Rural Development, Panchayati raj, road transport and highways, mines, drinking water and sanitation, environment, railways, petroleum and natural gas, new and renewable energy, border roads, telecom and agriculture will be a coordinate the efforts for campaign.

The Prime Minister's office earlier said, "The Government of India has decided to launch a massive rural public works scheme ''Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan'' to empower and provide livelihood opportunities to the returnee migrant workers and rural citizens,".