Bengaluru: Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has directed officials to provide jobs to migrant workers who have returned to their native villages from different parts of the State and country following COVID-19 lockdown, under the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

He was speaking at the progress review meeting of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department at his Home Office ‘Krishna’ here yesterday.

Pointing out that the Government has set a target of creating 13 crore human work days under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme during 2020-21, Yediyurappa said that Rs. 6,315.79 crore grant has been allotted for the same. This apart, the Union Government too has earmarked Rs.40,000 crore additional grant for the scheme. With grants aplenty, the officials should work towards ensuring that the returned migrant workers get work in or around their villages and also see that the wages are paid to all of them within the stipulated time.

The CM further instructed the officials to form COVID-19 Task Force in all Gram Panchayats for effectively tackling the deadly pandemic.

RDPR Minister K.S. Eshwarappa, Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, State Chief Secretary T.M. Vijayabhaskar, Development Commissioner Vandita Sharma and other officials were present.