Centre asks states, UTs to tap SDRF to aid migrant workers
Migrants, mostly daily wage earners, in big cities are among the hardest hit
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Saturday asked the states and Union territories to provide every possible support to migrant workers, authorising them to tap the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to pay for temporary accommodation, food, clothing and medical care during the three-week lockdown to halt the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Migrant workers in the big cities, many of them daily wage earners who have lost work and means of sustenance, have been among the hardest hit by the lockdown, which has forced tens of thousands of them to march back home in the absence of public transport
The SDRF was constituted under the National Disaster Management Act in 2005 and is the primary source of funds available to state governments to combat the aftermath of disasters like cyclones, droughts, earthquakes, floods and other natural calamities. The Centre contributes 75% to the SDRF for general category states and UTs and 90% for those that come under a special category--the North-Eastern states, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and J&K. The annual central contribution is released in two equal instalments.
In its directive, the Centre said the SDRF can be used under Section 3 (a), related to relief measures listed under it and the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). The section provides for relief in case of a calamity for 30 days. In case of the continuation of a calamity, this period may be extended first up to 60, and later to 90 days. Subsequently, medical care can be provided from the National Rural Health Mission funds, the Centre said.
For 2019-20, the Centre has released around ₹10,343 crore to 29 states as SDRF, according to official data.
Around ₹14,108 crore has been given to eight states, including Rajasthan, Odisha, Maharashtra, MP and Karnataka, under the NDRF.
A Press Information Bureau statement said the states have been advised to give wide publicity to precise information on the locations of relief camps set up for migrant workers and the facilities being made available there. “The government is committed to support migrant workers during lockdown period,” Union home minister Amit Shah said in a statement that was released after a review meeting . “The Union home secretary has again written to states requesting them to immediately set up relief camps for migrant workers/pilgrims...,” Shah said.
“The shelters are to be organised, keeping in view various precautions including social distancing, with adequate medical checkup drives...,” the statement said.
Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari has instructed the NHAI and toll booth operators to provide food, water to migrants.
ENSURE COMPULSORY QUARANTINE OF ALL MIGRANTS, SAYS YOGI
LUCKNOW : Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday asked officers to ensure compulsory quarantine of all migrant workers, who returned to state in the past three days, a state government spokesman stated in an official communiqué.
The chief minister, who has been supervising implementation of the Corona Action Plan and worked with officers on Friday night to provide transport to workers in transit from other states, gave these directions at a review meeting on Saturday.
“We have asked all the district magistrates to ensure that the workers returning to UP from other states are quarantined at home compulsorily
. Under this, the local authorities will put up a notice at the gates of the residence of a person in quarantine or at the gates of their respective housing society.
Village pradhans in about 60,000 village panchayats have been sensitised by the CMO and they are also informed about the person to be quarantined,” said principal secretary, medical and health, Amit Mohan Prasad