Nitish Kumar may guarantee jobs all year round before poll conduct kicks in

PATNA: Bihar is considering a proposal to guarantee jobs throughout the year, especially to those who availed themselves of 100 man-days of work under the Centre’s rural employment scheme MGNREGA.

The Nitish Kumar-led government is likely to implement the initiative just before the model code of conduct kicks in ahead of the assembly elections due in September-October, officials said. The government is looking to keep the BJP from repeating its success of last year’s Lok Sabha polls.

The government is, however, considering imposing some riders in the proposed scheme. For example, only those blocks will be covered that have a minimum 35 families which availed themselves of 100 man-days of work, an official said.

The rural works department has dispatched letters about the scheme to the officials concerned including district magistrates and deputy development commissioners across all 38 districts in the state.

Officials said the new jobs scheme will take into consideration both the Deendayal Upadhyaya skill Development plan and the State Rural Livelihood Mission.

"The scheme will run in those blocks which will have at least 35 families availing 100 man-days of job. The members will include only those in the age group of 15 to 35 years," an official said.