Bhubaneswar: The Odisha chief minister, Naveen Patnaik, has asked the district observers to be prepared for the influx of migrant workers.
The chief minister told them to be prepared to face the situation that is going to arise in the next 8-10 days. He was obviously hinting at the return of the migrant workers in large numbers.
The Odisha government has deputed 20 IAS officers as district observers to oversees the Covid-19 measures. The senior officers were, in fact, given charge of the district realising the enormity of task that would arise due to flooding of migrant workers after 3rd May. The State government has already received registration from over 4.80 lakh migrant workers waiting to return to their home.
Patnaik , in a video conferencing with the observers, Tuesday reminded them that their main responsibility is to contain Covid-19 pandemic and not addition duty.
He told the observers to make arrangement for quarantine centres at Gram Panchayat level for the migrant workers.
Emphasising that no migrant worker or his family be remain without food, the chief minister directed to supply ration even to those families those do not have ration card under Food Security Schemes.
Patnaik directed that the man days under MNREGA be doubled to 10 lakh from the present 5 lakh.
