Punjab CM briefs Sonia Gandhi on Covid-19, says no migrants issue in state

Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday assured Congress president Sonia Gandhi that the state did not have a migrants issue in the wake of the

Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday assured Congress president Sonia Gandhi that the state did not have a migrants issue in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown, as he had directed the industry to absorb all such labourers stranded in the state at this critical juncture.

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Amarinder gave the assurance after the Congress president raised the issue during a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held through video conference to take stock of the situation and formulate a strategy for the party to play a strong role in this hour of crisis, according to an official statement.

The chief minister said extensive arrangements had been made by the government to provide shelter and food to the migrant labourers, who could not leave the state in view the nationwide restrictions and sealing of borders.

“The state government is taking all steps to address the issues arising out of movement of migrant labour back to UP and Bihar. The issue has been contained due to timely intervention and we are making all arrangements for their food and shelter,” he informed the CWC.

In response to the concern expressed by Sonia on the arrangements for farmers in view of the onset of the harvesting season, Amarinder said all arrangements were being made to ensure smooth operations, with strict maintenance of social distance protocols in mandis. The state had also urged the central government to incentivise farmers to go in for staggered transportation of their produce to the mandis for procurement.

Briefing the Congress president about the current situation in Punjab, which has a large NRI population, Amarinder said the state had so far been able to contain the spread of the disease through intensive tracing and surveillance. The state government was also preparing to deal with the eventuality of the disease acquiring larger epidemic proportions by May or June, he told the meeting.

The CM said the state department of health and family welfare was in regular touch with the Union ministry of health and family welfare and was adhering to all the protocols laid down by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the central ministry.

Asked about the problems faced by the state, he told the CWC that it was not receiving its GST share from the Centre, which was causing serious financial problems. On its part, the state government had sanctioned Rs 20 crore to all districts to ensure food and shelter for homeless and underprivileged, among other measures taken to combat the crisis, he added.