Rebuilding Lives and Livelihoods: How MNREGA is Helping Mandi’s Villages Recover
In the wake of devastating rains and landslides, a story of resilience and recovery is being written across Mandi’s villages. The driving force? A massive push to create jobs and rebuild infrastructure through the MNREGA scheme, which has already injected ₹6.63 crore into the local economy by employing residents to repair their own communities.
For families in remote areas, the impact is tangible. Nearly 150 vital pedestrian bridges and routes, once severed by landslides, have been reopened. Farmers are now back in their fields, clearing debris and restoring land that was buried just weeks ago. This isn’t just about construction; it’s about reconnecting communities and restoring dignity through work.
“The scale of our effort is significant,” said Deputy Commissioner Apoorva Devgan, outlining a ambitious plan for the year. “We have approval for over 26,000 projects with a budget of nearly ₹446 crore to help us rebuild stronger.” A key part of this effort has been cutting through red tape. Recognizing the urgency, the state government relaxed rules to allow faster approval of projects and doubled the funding limit for crucial land repair work.
In a move that brings direct relief to families grappling with lost income, the central government has also stepped in. It has extended the guaranteed work under MNREGA from 120 days to 170 days for each family in the disaster-affected district. This extra income safety net is expected to help thousands of households in Mandi get back on their feet.
As the district races against time before the next rains, these initiatives are doing more than just repairing roads and bridges—they are weaving the social and economic fabric of the community back together, one job at a time.
