Bengal government aims for 10 lakh mandays from January in VB-G RAM G job scheme

The Bengal government aims to generate 10 lakh mandays every day from January in an apparent bid to provide more jobs to the 2.34 crore VB-G RAM G job scheme cardholders across the state.

So far, the state government was generating more than 1 lakh mandays every day before Durga Puja, which was far from satisfactory.

“The government cannot set a target for generating jobs under the 125-day job scheme because it is demand-based.... But setting an internal target helps the administration work better in implementing the scheme,” said a senior bureaucrat.

The state has 3,339 gram panchayats across 345 blocks where the 125-day job scheme would be implemented, another bureaucrat said.

“If the state generates 1 lakh mandays every day, 2.34 crore workers registered under the scheme will not get enough jobs by the end of the financial year. This is why a target of generating 10 lakh mandays has been set,” he said.

Sources said that in the coming weeks achieving more mandays would get easier.

“The state could not take up earthwork and plantation jobs before Durga Puja because rain continued in major parts of the state till October. Now, as the rain has started to recede, these jobs would get momentum from November,” said a source.

Weather apart, the job scheme couldn’t start in many gram panchayats because the pradhans of the Trinamool-led gram panchayats did not attend offices after the change of guard in Bengal. The state appointed administrators in some gram panchayats where pradhans were continuously absent. In some others, new pradhans were elected following no-confidence motions. But now, in many gram panchayats, the pradhans have started attending offices, an official said. “All these factors are now making it easier for the state government to implement the job scheme. We expect momentum from November, peaking in January,” he said.

The maiden BJP government in Bengal is heavily banking on the 125-day jobs scheme.

“Bengal did not get funds under the rural job scheme for years since March 2022 as the Centre froze funds citing misappropriation. But now, the new government wants to make the people of Bengal feel the tangible benefits of a double-engine government, which is why the successful implementation of the VB-G RAM G job scheme is vital,” said a source.

The maiden BJP government in Bengal is aware that the previous Trinamool-led government faced the wrath of the rural populace over lack of job opportunities, an official said. "The new government is trying to draw big-ticket investments in Bengal to create jobs, but it can't happen overnight. So, the 125-day job scheme can help the government create jobs for the rural populace for now," he said.