New Delhi, April 5 (IANS) The Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday said that over 12.5 lakh people have been shifted in about 28,000 migrant relief camps across India amid the coronavirus crisis.
The Ministry said over 75 lakh additional people are being provided food in various states and Union Territories (UTs). As per the Ministry, it has been continuously monitoring the enforcement of lockdown measures across all states and UTs, asserting that the enforcement measures and the supply of essential goods and services is “satisfactory”.
“A total of 27,661 migrant relief camps have been set up in the states and UTs in which 23,924 have been set up by the government and 3,737 by the NGOs. Around 12.5 lakh migrant workers have been provided shelter in these camps,” said Punya Salila Srivastava, Joint Secretary in the Home Ministry.
Besides, 19,460 food camps have also been set up in various states and UTs in which 9,951 were set up by the government and 9,509 by the NGOs, said the officer, adding over 75 lakh people are being provided food in these camps.
These facilities are being provided to the poor, destitutes, migrant workers, those who only need food, and for those who have reached their destination, but have been quarantined due to standard health protocol, Srivastava said.
Addressing media in a joint briefing with the Union Health Ministry here, Srivastava asserted that the condition of migrant workers is “under control” and food and shelter facility to 13.6 lakh workers are being provided by their employer and industries.
As per the lockdown measures, she said, the government has given permission for the manufacturing and packaging of essential goods like pharmaceuticals, medical devices and their raw materials. In its guideline on April 3, the government had exempted the interstate movement of the employees working in these manufacturing units, she said.
Solving the problems of some pharmaceutical firms, Srivastava said, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Sunday wrote to the states concerned to extend complete support to such manufacturing units in their respective areas. The Home Secretary directed the states to prepare a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure that the movement of employees working in such units will not be hindered during the lockdown period.
“With these efforts we hope that the lockdown measures will be successful and we will be able to stop coronaviurs,” she said.
The official shared the information as the deadly COVID-19 outbreak has so far killed 79 people and infected a total of 3,374 people across the country.
–IANS
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