Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan.

Launching the programme, Modi said, “Today, before launching this programme, I salute all the villages and the villagers in India for their work!”

“Salute to the power of the country's poor, laborers and workers! Salute to the villages of my country,” he added.

Today, I feel relieved and satisfied after talking to all of you. When the crisis of Corona pandemic started growing, both the Central Government and the State Governments were concerned about you all, he said

Our country has more than 6 lakh villages, in which more than two-thirds of India's population  i.e. about 80-85 crore people live in the villages. You have effectively prevented Coronavirus from spreading in rural India. And the population of our villages is far greater than the total population of all the countries of Europe, he said.

This population is also greater than the population of the whole of America, Russia and Australia put together. It is a great achievement for such a large population to successfully fight against the Coronavirus pandemic with such courage, he added.

Every Indian feels proud of it. The awareness of our rural India is behind this success. Also, our democratic systems up to the Panchayat level, our health facilities, our medical centres, wellness centres and our cleanliness campaign have played an important role, the Prime Minister said.

Moreover, our friends working at ground level i.e. the village heads, Anganwadi workers, the ASHA workers, Jeevika Didi; all of them have done a commendable job! And many congratulations to all of them!

Today is a historic day, he said, adding that, “Today a huge campaign has started for the welfare of the poor and for their employment. This campaign is dedicated to our labourer brothers and sisters, the youth and our daughters living in our villages.”

Most of them are the migrant labour who have returned to their homes during lockdown. They want to do something for the development of their village with their hard work and skills! They want to help their villages to progress as long as they are in their villages, he added.

This campaign will be carried out vigorously in 116 districts of 6 states - Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

We are trying to ensure that through this campaign the workers and the labourers are given work near their homes. So far, you had been helping the cities to progress with your skills and hard work, but now you would take your villages forward, Modi said.