Covid-19: UP govt to provide jobs to half a million migrant labourers

Jobs to be created under 'one district, one product' (ODOP) scheme

The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday announced it will create jobs at local level for more than half-million migrant labourers, who were forced to return to their native state following the lockdown.

Chairing a review meeting in Lucknow, Chief Minister Adityanath issued directives for the constitution of a high-level committee headed by the UP agricultural production commissioner (APC) to draw up a blueprint in this regard.

The committee also comprises the principal secretaries of the departments of rural development, panchayati raj, skill development and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME).

“The committee will draft a roadmap for creating local level jobs under the state’s 'One District, One Product' (ODOP) scheme and also facilitate credit through the bank loan melas in the state,” UP additional chief secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi told the media here this evening.

He said the committee would also offer suggestions for the creation of employment opportunities in other sectors and industries as well after the lockdown is lifted.

“The central government has increased the revolving fund window for spurring employment and the state is looking to help women self help groups (SHG) engaged in sewing, making pickles etc and marketing their products,” he underlined.

Meanwhile, the CM will on today hold a video conference with the senior administration and police officials, including the district magistrates (DM) and superintendent of police (SP), of all the districts regarding the proposed conditional lifting of lockdown to allow select industries to operate from Monday (Apr 20).

“The CM will take their inputs and issue directives for the effective implementation of the central government guidelines,” Awasthi informed, adding the advisory would pertain to the management of hotspots, buffer hotspot zones etc, so that social distancing norms were not disturbed.

Besides, Adityanath has taken cognisance of the loss of livelihood of the tens of thousands of other daily earners, including street vendors, hawkers, kiosk owners etc owing to the 45-day lockdown. He has directed officials to prepare an action plan for them as well so that they can be provided relief.

“There is a proposal to defer the withdrawal of lockdown in districts, which have more than 10 positive cases of coronavirus,” he said, adding that the UP Covid Care Fund has so far generated a corpus of more than Rs 204 crore.

Meanwhile, UP has so far reported a total of 1,084 coronavirus cases, of which 108 patients were discharged and 17 persons died during treatment, thus leaving 959 as active cases, UP medical, health and family welfare principal secretary Amit Mohan Prasad said.

He said that the state had received rapid testing kits from the Centre, which were being used for the purpose of surveillance and not for regular sample testing. “We have already started using the rapid testing kits in Noida,” he said.