Part of railway projects to fall under MNREGA

New Delhi: The rural development ministry is learnt to have agreed to notify some works connected with the railways like afforestation and construction of approach road for crossings under its ambitious rural job scheme MNREGA.

Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh is understood to have agreed to bring works such as construction of embankments, developing waterways, constructing pathways, clearing vegetational growth, afforestation and construction of approach roads for railway crossings under MNREGA.

Ramesh today discussed the issue of convergence of schemes with Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge.

Kharge had requested Ramesh to resolve the stiff conditions that prevents application of the rural job scheme in executing railway infrastructure development projects.

Ramesh has already made it clear that no mechanical work like maintenance of railway track could be included in the job scheme.

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During his tenure as railway minister, Pawan Kumar Bansal had said deployment of rural population in schemes under MNREGA was quite similar to the requirements of railways for such specified works.

The railway ministry had sought cooperation of the rural development ministry on a number of railway projects that require unskilled labour force.

The ministry had suggested that these works can be undertaken in remote rural areas under MNREGA.

Indian Railways, with a huge network spread across the country, traverses through thousands of kilometres of rural and backward areas.

PTI