No Migrant Worker Should Be Deprived of Benefits under Food Security: CM

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today asserted that not a single migrant worker returned to the State would be deprived of benefits under Food Security.

While discussing the Corona pandemic situation in the State with the district COVID-19 observers through video conferencing, the Chief Minister insisted the officers to make sure that migrant workers should get the benefits under the Food Security scheme after they return to the State in post lockdown.

The migrant workers should get the benefits, even if they do not have NFSA/SFSA ration cards, the CM stressed.

In a bid to generate employment opportunity to the migrant labourers, Naveen also ordered authorities concerned to generate atleast 10 lakh persondays per day under MGNREGS in next one week.

Naveen further insisted the officials to consider tackling the COVID-19 pandemic as their major responsibility now. It is not an additional duty, so the officers need to work accordingly, he added.

The Chief Minister also advised the officers to draw up measures now keeping in mind the upcoming situations over the next 8 to 10 days.

He also urged the observers to work on various facilities for the migrant workers at the panchayat level.

Estimating the arrival of nearly 5 lakh migrant workers to the State in the coming days, the Odisha Government has formed dedicated teams of senior officers to look after specific areas.