Odisha Mukta Scheme 2021 – Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan for Urban Poor Employment

Odisha government has launched Mukta Scheme 2021 or Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan for employment opportunities to urban poor. Odisha Mukta Scheme is an initiative to provide jobs in urban areas. CM Naveen Patnaik plans to convert the existing wage employment initiative that was launched during Covid-19 lockdown into a full-fledged scheme. In this article, we will tell you about the complete details of the Odisha Mukta Yojana.

Odisha Mukta Scheme 2021

Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan or Mukta Yojana aims to achieve the objective of sustainable livelihood opportunities for about 4.5 lakh urban poor families. Odisha Mukta Scheme aims at building on the relative success of the Urban Wage Employment initiative that was launched in April last year during Covid-19 lockdown. This initiative helped the informal workforce in the state’s 114 urban local bodies. Under the initiative, around Rs. 100 crore was allocated for all labour-intensive projects in the urban local bodies in the state for providing temporary employment to the urban poor.

As per the urban development department, in the last 9 months, more than 6,000 projects have been completed under Urban Wage Employment Initiative. Through this initiative, an expenditure of Rs. 70 crores was spent and 13 lakh person-days generated. At least 3.5 lakh workers, of which 40 per cent were women, participated in the initiative. To build on the success of the initiative, the department now plans to make it a full-fledged scheme called Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan.

Activities under Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan (Mukta)

In the Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan (Mukta), various activities would be carried out which includes the following:-

• Stormwater drainage
• Rainwater harvesting
• Green cover increase
• Sanitation
• Creation of community centres
• Peripheral development around water bodies

The new Mukta Scheme or Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan would be NREGA scheme for urban areas. This would be a state government programme funded from its own budget.

Objectives of Urban Wage Employment Scheme in Odisha

Odisha Mukta Yojana will build on the existing and robust welfare schemes, legislations and technological interventions (like GIS database) and converge and integrate funds and resources of its own with those of the large on-going welfare schemes. Odisha Mukta Scheme or Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan aims at the following things:-

• Reduction in livelihood vulnerabilities of the urban poor including migrant labourers and informal workers
• Economic empowerment of the urban informal workers especially economic empowerment of women informal workers
• Increased involvements and empowerment of women self-help groups and slum development associations.

It would be an urban equivalent of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). The wages of workers would be credited to their bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.

Odisha Mukta Yojana Components

Here are the following components of the Urban Wage Employment Scheme or Odisha Mukta Scheme:-

Repair of Storm Water Drains

As Odisha receives high rainfall over a short period during monsoon, desilting and repair of stormwater drains to prevent local flooding would be a big component of the programme. Poor people in urban areas would create systems to conserve rainwater, prevent flooding and beautify the state’s urban areas.

Construction of Rainwater Harvesting Structures

Several rainwater harvesting structures would be constructed to conserve water and recharge groundwater sources and natural ponds and reservoirs.

Development of New Water Bodies / Public Parks / Playgrounds

In Odisha Mukta Yojana, there will be development of new water bodies, public parks and playgrounds based on local needs and land availability. All these development would be carried out with all with proper walking tracks, adequate lighting, drinking water, toilets, garbage bins and plenty of greenery. Manual clearing of water hyacinths in existing ponds and plantation drives on public land, roadsides and on river banks are envisaged.

Strengthening of Community Organisations Capacities

The scheme will bolster the resilience in cities by strengthening the capacities of community organisations of the urban poor to execute the scheme activities. This would be done by reducing the economic vulnerabilities of the urban poor and by creating climate-resilient assets.

Creation of Community Assets

Odisha Mukta Scheme is expected to create community assets worth more than Rs. 150 crores primarily in the form of Parichaya centres and Mission Shakti Grihas. Mukta Yojana will combine resources of the ongoing development schemes with innovative approaches and technology. Further, the projects and institutions created under the Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan will contribute to building resilience in communities.

By safeguarding the livelihood needs and rights of the urban poor. By using innovative technology, appropriate implementation approaches and community strengthening, the scheme will prove to be unique safe, resilient and sustainable. Odisha Mukta Scheme is expected to generate more than 35 lakh man-days per year.

Inspiration from Similar Employment Schemes in Other States

In April 2019, the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh had launched a similar employment scheme called Mukhyamantri Yuva Swabhiman Yojana. This CM employment scheme was for young people in urban areas that guaranteed 100 days of employment every year to youths. However, the scheme did not meet with much success as only 3 per cent of the urban youth in Madhya Pradesh who were offered 100 days of employment under a state job guarantee scheme received their stipends over next 6 months.

In June 2020, Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand had launched a 100-day employment scheme for urban unskilled workers calling it Mukhyamantri Shramik (Shahri Rozgar Manjuri For Kamgar) Yojna.

Odisha Govt. Measures for Informal Sector Workers

Odisha Mukta Scheme or new wage employment scheme for the urban poor is the latest among a series of measures by the ruling BJD government to woo the informal workers in cities. Last month, the state government had sanctioned 1.39 lakh dwelling houses for urban homeless persons in 114 towns and cities of Odisha under the Odisha Urban Housing Mission.

Source / Reference Link: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/odisha-govt-plans-to-launch-employment-scheme-for-urban-poor-101611422573713.html

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