RANGPUR, May 12 (BSS): The Taka 288.3 million second phase of the special Employment Generation Project for the Poorest (EGPP) continues successfully creating huge jobs for the poor in the district.
Earlier, work on the project has begun from April 26 last to create 40-day job opportunity for 36,044 ultra poor people, including distressed women, of eight upazilas.
Under the programme, each of the beneficiaries has been earning Taka 200 as per day wages conducting infrastructure development works for five days in a week, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officers (DRRO) Abdus Salam told BSS today.
The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has allocated the huge money under the government's comprehensive social safety networks for the ultra poor with a view to assisting them in earning wages to lead a better life.
"Each of the card-holder beneficiaries, including distressed women, will earn Taka 8,000 as wages for their 40-day works during the two-month period under the programme," the DRRO said.
The beneficiaries have been conducting uplift works like earth-filling, renovating and repairing of bridges, culverts, roads, water-bodies, ponds, canals, educational and religious institutions, cleaning of weeds and preparing compost heaps.
Talking to BSS, beneficiaries, Sabiha Begum, Sandhya Rani and Majedur Rahman said they are getting Taka 875 from weekly wages of Taka 1,000 for five days on Thursdays leaving Taka 125 as savings in their own bank accounts opened with Taka 10 only.
Beneficiaries Abdus Sobhan, Bulbuli Begum, Aklima Khatun and Norendra Nath thanked the government for launching of the special EGPP to assist them in earning additional wages this season like in the previous years.
Under the programme, Taka 1.41 crore has been allocated for 1,767 beneficiaries of Sadar upazila, Taka 31.1 million for 3,858 beneficiaries of Kawnia, Taka 61.9 million for 7,743 beneficiaries of Mithapukur and Taka 47 million for 5,887 beneficiaries of Pirganj upazilas.
Taka 38 million has been allocated for 4,754 beneficiaries of Pirgachha, Taka 38.6 million for 4,835 beneficiaries of Badarganj, Taka 14.9 million for 2,372 beneficiaries of Taraganj and Taka 38.3 million for 4,789 beneficiaries of Gangachara upazilas.
Cultivation of zinc-enriched rice underscored
Another BSS report says: Enhanced cultivation and consumption of zinc-enriched rice can prevent deficiency of vital micronutrients like zinc, iron and vitamin-A of the children to ensure their normal growth and increase disease resistant capacity.
Experts said this today at a farmers' field day organised by RDRS Bangladesh for visiting the ripe zinc-enriched rice field of farmer Mina Rani in village Nittyanandi of Nilphamari to observe and assess farming technology of zinc-enriched rice.
RDRS Bangladesh has been expanding the technology for farming, seed production, processing and storing of high zinc-enriched rice in Sadar and Jaldhaka upazilas of Nilphamari as a local implementing partner of The HarvestPlus Challenge Programme.
The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have been coordinating the technology dissemination process for enshrining seed production, processing and storing of high zinc rice.