21,000 relief camps in India to feed 2.3 mn migrant workers |
Over 21 thousand relief camps have been set up in various Indian states and Union Territories as scores of migrant workers and daily wage labourers moved out of metro cities and industrial towns to travel to their respective homes. Joint Secretary in the Home Ministry, Punya Salila Shrivastav said, the camps will provide shelter to over 6 lakh people during the lockdown in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. Briefing media in New Delhi, she said, facilities have been set up to feed over 23 lakh people and these are available to the poor, stranded migrant workers, quarantined workers and other needy persons. The Centre has roped in civil society organisations to assist state governments and district administration in taking care of food, shelter and other needs of migrant workers. In a letter to over 92,000 NGOs, the government has asked them to work with district administration in setting up community kitchens and provide shelter for migrants and the homeless in the cities. The government sought their support for distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and items such as sanitisers, soaps, masks and gloves among community workers and volunteers.
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