WB Govt. generates employment in Maoist-affected areas

West Midnapore, Jan 9 (ANI): West Bengal Government is generating employment for locals in the Maoist-affected areas of the region under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) scheme.

From many past years, the people lost their daily earning and private jobs following the Maoist menace in West Midnapore, Bankura, Lalgarh and Purulia districts of the state.

Presently, the locals here are provided with roadside construction work through MNREGA, which makes them capable of earning their livelihood.

"People of various age groups are very happy with this development. If we keep getting work like this, then we need not to worry," said MNREGA Contractor Khokan Lohar.

Lohar further said that no work was on offer for the past one to two years because of the Maoist menace.

"Earlier also, we worked under the MNREGA scheme but for the past one or two years, there was no work. Now, some work has started and we are feeling good," he added.

MNREGA, which was enacted in 2005, provides 100 days of employment to rural folk at a statutory minimum wage. (ANI)