How Haryana is holding hands of its poor during lockdown

On Monday, a day before the 21-day long spell of the nationwide lockdown is to end, as many as 182 people were in the grip of the infection that has now crawled into 19 of the total 22 districts of Haryana

When lockdown was imposed across Haryana on March 23, there were just 14 confirmed coronavirus cases in the state. By March 31, the virus was detected in 29 people. And within a week, it managed to spread among 129 people of 16 districts.

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On Monday, a day before the 21-day long spell of the nationwide lockdown is to end, as many as 182 people were in the grip of the infection that has now crawled into 19 of the total 22 districts of Haryana.

Even if the virus has been spreading fast, response of the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP-JJP coalition government to tackle this challenge of unprecedented size and scale appears heartening if the data prepared by the chief minister’s office (CMO) about steps taken so far is of any indication.

After March 22’s ‘Janata Curfew’, lockdown was clamped in seven NCR districts of Haryana. Next day, lockdown was declared across the state.

Immediately, senior IAS officers were deputed for coordination, planning and monitoring of the lockdown. On March 27, ministers and MPs were posted as in-charges of districts, while ₹1 crore to each district was released to help the poor and needy people.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

While taking steps at war footing to contain the coronavirus, another challenge before the government was to cushion impact of lockdown on the poor.

As per the data, till April 9, the administration had transferred ₹4,000 each to over six lakh families. Hence, ₹212 crore was sent to families registered under Mukhya Mantri Parivar Samridhi Yojana (MMPSY). There are about 12.56 lakh families registered under MMPSY, an official said.

Also, the government has released ₹70-crore financial assistance for two weeks to Haryana Board of Construction Workers. The government has promised to give them ₹4,500 per month or ₹1,000 a week.

Haryana has about 3.5 lakh workers registered under Haryana building and other construction workers’ welfare board.

Government officials said all BPL families not registered under MMPSY or as construction workers will also receive ₹4,500 per month. The government is transferring every week ₹1,000 per family since March 30. “More than six lakh BPL families have received ₹1,000 weekly financial assistance. Till April 9, the government had transferred ₹61 crore to such families,” an official said.

The government has also identified 70,000 people such as daily wagers, street vendors, migrant labourers, who were earning their livelihood on a daily basis.

An official said if they register themselves with the deputy commissioner concerned, all of them will be eligible for ₹1,000 per week financial assistance that will be transferred directly to their bank accounts.

FOOD & ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES

All BPL families are being supplied April’s ration free of cost. The package includes rice or wheat as per their entitlement, 1-litre mustard oil, 1kg dal, 1kg sugar and 1kg salt.

As per the official data, a month’s ration was provided to over 27 lakh ration cardholders for free. Officials said as many as 64 lakh cooked or ready-to-eat food packets were being distributed daily to needy persons by district administrations with the help of NGOs, while nearly 4 lakh dry ration packets were being doled out weekly. “All contractual workers with government will receive wages even if they were unable to work during the lockdown,” a government functionary said.