Home Ministry asks states to set up relief camps for migrant workers, use SDRF funds

With thousands of migrant workers seeking to return to their native places in the wake of lockdown enforced to check the spread of coronavirus, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla has again written to states and union territories to immediately set up relief camps for these workers and pilgrims.

A Home Ministry release on Saturday said that states have been advised to give wide publicity and create awareness using public address systems and by utilising the services of volunteers and NGOs to provide information on the location of the relief camps and the facilities available.

They have also been advised to create awareness about relief package under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana and measures being taken by the respective states.

"The Union Home Secretary has again written to states/UTs requesting them to immediately set up relief camps for migrant workers/pilgrims etc who are returning to their domicile states or trying to do so during this lockdown period," the release said.

It said that states have been also advised to set up relief camps along the highways including tented accommodation to ensure that these persons stay in these camps till the lockdown is in place.

It said the shelters are to be organised keeping in view various precautions including social distancing. There should be adequate medical check-up drives to identify and segregate cases requiring quarantine or hospitalisation.

The Home Ministry has authorised states to use the State Disaster Response Fund for providing relief measures.