Odisha activists urge Centre to meet demand for work

‘Work was demanded by record 34.9 lakh households and only 29.2 lakh of families were provided work,’ two groups tell Panchayati Raj Minister Pratap Jena in a letter.

As the two waves of COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns resulted in massive loss of incomes and worsened the food insecurity for the majority of rural population, activists have demanded that the Government focus on providing work to job seekers and ensure participation from minority categories.

Odisha Khadya Adhikar Abhijan and Odisha Shramajeebee Manch, informal networks of individuals and organisations working on questions of right to food and right to work in Odisha, shot off a memorandum to Panchayati Raj Minister Pratap Jena and sought his intervention.

“There is very high demand for work in the State which is not being met. Work was demanded by record 34.9 lakh households and only 29.2 lakh of families were provided work,” the group said.