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Thumbnail- MGNREGA emerges
as a source of employment in Ladakh

Youtube Title- MGNREGA emerges as the source of employment in villages of Ladakh

As the country grapples with the second wave of COVID-19, The flagship scheme MGNREGA, has emerged as a major source of employment in the sparsely populated villages of Ladakh.

The Programme showed a successful track record in providing adequate employment to those who need it the most both in terms of the quality of asset creation or adequacy of wages offered in the region.

People of the region are using this scheme for community asset creation. They are not only availing the benefits of 100-day jobs for their livelihood, but people are also using MGNREGA to establish agriculture and horticulture assets in their villages. Land development has been one of the most preferred sectors for many Gram Sabha of the Union Territory.

Job Card holders of Saboo Panchayat in Leh block have now reclaimed land-filled debris of the 2010 and 2015 floods. Reclaimed land is being used for the cultivation of cash crops like peas and vegetables and traditional crops like wheat are grown on this land.

MGNREGA employment card holders have also turned uncultivable plain land into an orchard in Phyang Panchayat. Additional water bodies for irrigation were developed under MGNREGA to develop the barren land by diverting water from a nearby stream.

Even, 20 Kanal area full of the orchard has been developed with the support of the horticulture department. Villagers used artificial glaciers during the scarcity of water in the spring season for orchards.

MGNREGA is also working wonderfully in the cold desert of the Changthang area. Pastoral farmers in the Sato Kargyam Panchayat of Durbuk Block on the Indo-China Border are taking advantage of land development to combat climate change.

With MGNREGA support, barren lands are being developed as agriculture fields for the cultivation of crops like barley.

After making Ladakh a separate Union Territory, the Central Government is trying to fulfill all development needs of the region.

For accessible higher education in Ladakh, the Government in the union budget of this year has already proposed to set up a Central University in Leh.

The Government has also cleared 8 hydropower projects of 144 MW on the Indus River and its tributaries in Ladakh. The UT administration is continuously in touch with agencies like Border Road Organisation, and the Public works Department to have better connectivity, in the region, in all seasons. The plan is also underway for the creation of a 7,500 MW Solar Park which will also lead to the development and job creation in the Union Territory of Ladakh.

During these trying times like COVID, MGNREGA has provided jobs to people and easing their financial burden by Promoting livelihood options among the most vulnerable communities.

Tags- COVID-19, MGNREGA, Union Territory Ladakh, Development projects in Ladakh, MGNREGA employment in Ladakh, rural employment guarantee programme, MGNREGA as employment source in Ladakh