Poor being benefited from EGPP in Rangpur

RANGPUR, Dec 12 (BSS): Thousands of poor are being benefited as the first-phase Employment Generation Project forthe Poorest (EGPP) at Taka 86.62 crore continues in full swingeverywhere in this division, officials said. District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer of RangpurMokhlesur Rahman said 1,23,752 ultra poor people including womenof all 58 upazilas in eight districts of the division are earningTaka 175 per day wages each for five days in a week now. Implementation of development works under the project beganlast month and will continue till this month-end and each of the card-holder beneficiary will earn Taka 7,000 as wages per head for their 40-day works during the project period, he added. Now, the farm-labourers have little jobs in the fields as the farmers have almost completed harvest of Transplanted Aman paddy when the EGPP has been helping them a lot in earning lucrative wages to lead a normal life. The development works being conducted include cleaning ofweeds, preparing compost heaps, renovating, repairing andconducting earth-filling works for bridges, culverts, roads,water bodies, ponds, canals and educational and otherinstitutions. The government has allocated Taka 18,09,50,000 for 25,850ultra poor beneficiaries in 83 unions under all eight upazilas inRangpur and they are earning better wages through conducting theinfrastructural development works everywhere. Talking to BSS today, beneficiaries Nargis, Shudha Rani,Julekha Begum, Aklima Khatun, Anwara and Abdus Sobhan thanked thegovernment for launching the EGPP that helps them in earning additional wages now to lead better life. Under the programme, Taka 14,51,45,000 has been allocatedfor 20,735 beneficiaries in Kurigram, Taka 5,47,33,000 for 7,819in Lalmonirhat, Taka 10,81,64,000 for 15,452 in Gaibandha andTaka 13,59,33,000 for 19,419 beneficiaries in Nilphamari. Besides, a total of Taka 12,34,52,000 has been allocatedfor 17,636 beneficiaries in Dinajpur, Taka 6,71,65,000 for 9,595beneficiaries in Thakurgaon and Taka 5,07,22,000 for 7,246beneficiaries in Panchagarh under the first-phase of EGPP this season, officials said.