Yogi's UP govt transfers Rs 104.82 cr to labourers' accounts; CM hails state's Covid fight

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday transferred Rs 104.82 crore into the bank accounts of 10.48 lakh workers via the government, granting Rs 1,000 to each family under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme amid Covid.

The chief minister also spoke to some of these beneficiaries in Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Azamgarh, Jhansi, Siddharth Nagar and Gonda via video conferencing. He said the UP labour department was also planning a scheme for the marriage of labourers’ daughters.

Uttar Pradesh has performed well so far during the COVID-19 crisis, setting an example not only for other states in the country but also for Pakistan, though Yogi Adityanath only spoke about the former. Everybody joined hands, the state revenue department and the relief commissioner’s office did a good job too, he said, appreciating their efforts.

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Jobs to migrant workers

The UP government is setting up a migration commission to provide jobs to migrant workers, the chief minister reiterated. He said 35 lakh migrant labourers returned to their home state during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said migrant workers coming from other states are being safely taken to quarantine centres and proper arrangements have been made for their food and medical screening there.

Yogi Adityanath said over 12,000 buses of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) were arranged for their return and 15-day ration kits were given to them. He said it is the state government's responsibility to provide employment to the workers returning to their home towns. The district administration officers have been directed to provide a list of the bank account numbers of the migrant labourers after completing skill mapping.

Listing welfare measures, he said that UP is providing free of cost treatment to COVID-19 patients and Atal residential schools were being set up in every division to provide education to the children of labourers.

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Uttar Pradesh fights Coronavirus

Uttar Pradesh on Saturday reported 20 deaths due to coronavirus and 502 fresh cases, pushing the state's tally to 13,118, an official said. The total number of those who have died due to the deadly virus so far has now gone up to 385, Principal Secretary Health, Amit Mohan Prasad said.

There are 4,858 active cases in the state and 7,875 have been discharged from hospitals after being cured, Prasad said, adding that the recovery rate in the state continues to be over 60 per cent. 

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