Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Chandigarh, March 31: Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Lal today said that with a view to provide facilities of food and shelter to migrant labourers and homeless, 467 relief camps have been set up in the State with a capacity of 70,000 people. At present, more than 10,000 people have taken shelter in these camps and they are being provided adequate food and other necessary facilities.

Mr Manohar Lal said this while presiding over the meeting of State Cabinet held under his Chairmanship here today. While Deputy Chief Minister Mr Dushyant Chautala, Health Minister Mr Anil Vij, Cooperation Minister Mr Banwari Lal and Minister of State for Women and Child Development Department Mrs Kamlesh Dhanda were present in the meeting, Power Minister Mr Ranjit Singh, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Mr Jai Prakash Dalal, Transport Minister Mr Mool Chand Sharma, Education Minister Mr Kanwar Pal, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Mr Anoop Dhanak, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Mr Om Prakash Yadav and Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs Mr Sandeep Singh attended the meeting through video conferencing

He said that all the Pink, Yellow and Khaki ration card holders families in the State are being provided ration for the month of April 2020 free of cost. This would benefit more than 27 lakh beneficiaries and a sum of Rs 48 crore has been incurred on it. The ration would be distributed to these families by April 5, 2020, he added. He said that Yellow and Pink ration card holders are being given 2 liters mustard oil, 1 kg sugar, 1 kg Dal and 10 kg wheat per member. Apart from this, the Khakhi ration card holders are being 10 kg wheat per member and 1 kg Dal.

He said that those poor or migrant labourer who do not have ration cards are being distributed packed ration so that they do not face any difficulty during the lockdown period. He said that apart from this, food packets are being distributed to the poor especially those living in the urban slums.

The Chief Minister said that in view of the government employees retiring on March 31, 2020, six departments have been shortlisted earlier for providing extension in service to employees.

He said that more than 3000 persons have so far made contribution of about Rs 21 crore in the Corona Relief Fund set up to fight the corona virus pandemic. Apart from this, people in large numbers have also expressed their willingness through phone to contribute in this fund. He said that the State Government has also set up a portal covidss.haryana.gov.in for those who want to voluntarily give their services in this hour of need. About 60,000 volunteers have so far made their registration on this portal which also includes 800 doctors, nurses, paramedics and other people involved in the work of distribution of food in the relief camps. The District Administration concerned would entrust work to these volunteers on need basis and also issued passes to them.

He said that under the Mukhya Mantri Parivar Samridhi Yojna (MMPSY), the installment of financial assistance of Rs 4000 has already been deposited in the bank accounts of 6.29 lakh families out of total 12.50 lakh families registered under this scheme. The financial assistance to the remaining eligible families would be provided in the next few days, he added. He said that similarly, the financial assistance of Rs 1000 per week has been transferred into the bank accounts of over 3.50 lakh construction workers. This amount would be transferred to these beneficiaries on every Monday during the lockdown.

He said that there are large numbers of families which are not covered under the categories of BPL, MMPSY and construction workers but still are poor. He said that such families would also be provided financial assistance of Rs 1000 per week. He said that a SMS based unique system has been evolved for the verification of such families who have land holding of less than 5 acres and annual income of less than Rs 1.80 lakh and are not getting any financial assistance under any other category.

He said that it should also be ensured that those citizens of Haryana who have come from other States are also kept in 14 days quarantine as a precautionary measure. Apart from this, the Deputy Commissioners concerned accompanied by Police Officers should visit the relief camps to ensure that proper cleanliness is maintained in the camps. He said that various social organizations have also offered their sheds for the purpose of relief camps and Deputy Commissioners could utilized these sheds as per their requirement.

Among those present in the meeting included Chief Secretary Mrs Keshni Anand Arora, Additional Chief Secretary Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Mr Dhanpat Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Home Mr Vijai Vardhan, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr V. Umashankar, Additional Chief Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies Consumer Affairs Mr P.K. Das, Additional Chief Secretary Health and Family Welfare Mr Rajeev Arora, Additional Chief Secretary Finance Mr T.V.S.N. Prasad, Secretary, Personnel, Training, Vigilance and Parliamentary Affairs Departments Mr Nitin Yadav, Director, Information, Public Relations and Languages Department Mr P.C. Meena, Deputy Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mrs Ashima Brar and Commissioner, Food and Drugs Administration Mr Ashok Meena.