Kolkata, Aug. 25 -- In a significant step towards facilitating the reintegration of migrant workers into the rural workforce and reducing out-migration from the state, the Panchayats and Rural Development (P&RD) Department has asked all district magistrates to undertake a special drive to ensure that every identified migrant labour household is issued a Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card (GRGC), wherever it has not already been issued.
The department aims to ensure that eligible adult members of these households can avail themselves of guaranteed employment under the Viksit Bharat (VB)-G RAM G Scheme.
The VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, was implemented in Bengal from July 1. The Act provides a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment in each financial year to rural households whose adult members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work, thereby strengthening livelihood security and reducing distress migration.
According to state Labour Department figures, 22.24 lakh migrant workers have been identified across Bengal. Murshidabad tops the list with over 3.86 lakh workers, followed by Malda with over 2.86 lakh and West Midnapore with over 1.68 lakh.
District-wise data has been shared with the respective administrations, which have been asked to verify whether each identified migrant labour household has already been issued a GRGC.
The directive calls for 100 per cent coverage of eligible migrant labour households through the issuance of pending GRGCs, along with registration of employment demand and provision of wage employment to eligible adult members under the scheme. The special drive has been directed to be taken up on priority and completed expeditiously.
The Centre has allocated the first instalment of funds for the VB-G RAM G scheme, with Union Minister for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan announcing Rs 1,264.49 crore for Bengal.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.