40-day job scheme starts in Lalmonirhat

The government-run 40-day job scheme meant for providing employment facility to the seasonally jobless farm labourers and ultra poor people during Bangla months of Ashwin and Kartik (mid-September to mid-November) started in the district yesterday, making an unusual delay in implementing the programme this year.

Under the programme, 7,946 labourers, including, 1,660 in Lalmonirhat Sadar, 1,565 in Aditmari, 1,671 in Kaliganj, 1,730 in Hatibandha and 1,320 in Patgram upazila under the district will get job facility for daily wage of Tk 200 each.

The government has sanctioned Tk 6.35 crore 68 thousand for the purpose, said sources at the District Relief and Rehabilitation Office.

But too much delay in starting the job scheme this year makes the programme futile for the beneficiaries as they need the job opportunity from early October to mid- November when they face job crisis before start of harvesting aman paddy, local farm labourers said.

"If the programme had started early October it would be of great benefit for us. But we have been given work under the government-run 40-day job scheme when harvesting of aman paddy has started, making job available," said Mahsin Ali, 50, an ultra poor labourer at Char Sholmari village of Kaliganj upazila.

"We can earn Tk 350 to 400 daily by working for harvesting paddy but we are getting only Tk 200 a day under the government job scheme," he added.

"When job is available in the crop fields, we have to work under the government project as we are already listed for it," said Nabrul Islam, 45, a farm labourer at Bhotmari village of Kaliganj upazila.

"We are getting earthen roads repaired by the listed labourers under the 40-day job scheme. The jobless farm labourers and ultra poor people would get more benefit if the programme could be started early October," said Rashedul Islam Rased, project implement officer in Kaliganj upazila.

District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Mohammad Hossain said he sent letter in time to the ministry concerned, seeking fund for the 40-job scheme, but there was delay in sanctioning the fund.