Compared to last years engagement of over 52 lakh labourers underMGNREGAat the height ofCovidpandemic on June 14 (2020), the numbers dipped to 13.48 lakh on the corresponding day this year (2021) at a time when the state was reeling under second wave. The highest labour engagement per day in the state last year (2020) was on June 15 at 53.45 lakh.
According to officials and volunteers of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), lakhs of labourers are not getting work under the scheme despite a huge demand for it. They said while there was a huge demand for EMPLOYMENT under the scheme last year due to large-scale labour movement at the peak of first wave, this year the numbers (in terms of labour movement) are low because either most of them have not returned to their previous workplaces or they have come back again (in small numbers) and are still demanding for work under the scheme.
According to ‘sRaj Kaushalportal, 12.81 lakh migrant workers had returned to the state last year.