SDRF funds to be used for migrant workers: MHA

In the absence of food and shelter, the Home Ministry on Saturday changed the rules for assistance under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), facilitating availability of money for food and temporary accommodation for migrant workers during the lockdown.

In a communication to all Chief Secretaries, the Ministry also said medical care and clothing can be provided to migrant workers during the lockdown period announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to the new rules of the SDRF, provision for temporary accommodation, food, clothing medical cure etc, would be applicable to homeless people, including migrant labourers, stranded due to lockdown measures and sheltered in relief camps and other places, a Home Ministry official said. There have been reports of a large number of migrant workers leaving their work places in different parts of the country and walking down to their native places, hundreds of kilometres away facing hardships on the way.

The migrant workers are left with no option but to walk as normal transport services have been hit after the announcement of the lockdown.

The Centre on Saturday asked the States and UT administrations to utilise the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), to which Rs 29,000 crore has been allocated for the next fiscal, for providing food and shelter to migrant workers hit by the 21-day lockdown. Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs Punya Salila Srivastava said the central government has also asked the states and UTs to set up camps for migrant workers fleeing cities and carry out their health check-ups. Home Minister Amit Shah said, “As per the directions of PM Modi, the government has committed all support to migrant workers during lockdown.” He made the statement while reviewing the country’s preparedness to contain the spread of COVID-19.