Odisha fights Covid-19: Patnaik directs administration to ensure food security for migrants returning home

The decision was taken in a review meeting with the state's senior officers, which Patnaik chaired, urging the district Covid-19 observers to take their responsibility of controlling the disease as 'primary work and not as additional charge.' While the Housing and Urban Development Department was directed to complete the distribution of vendor assistance in one week, some other major decisions were also taken to improvise the system at the grass-root level.

Stressing on food security, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday directed the administration that migrant workers and their families returning to the state will be covered under Public Distribution System even if they don't have ration cards.

The decision was taken in a review meeting with the state's senior officers, which Patnaik chaired, urging the district Covid-19 observers to take their responsibility of controlling the disease as 'primary work and not as additional charge.'

While the Housing and Urban Development Department was directed to complete the distribution of vendor assistance in one week, some other major decisions were also taken to improvise the system at the grass-root level.

The observers were asked to specifically monitor Gram Panchayat-level quarantine facilities on priority.

"Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department should make a strategy to double NREGS work in man-days. By next week, it must achieve 10 lakh man-days of work per day from the current 5 lakh man-days per day," said an official statement.

Patnaik also underlined that Covid-19 testing faclities be made more robust to ensure proper testing on a large scale.

"All ICMR approved labs and testing facilities should be utilised to increase the testing capacity of about 10,000 to 15,000 per day, so that when migrant workers and people from outside arrive, we can have an adequate testing facility," the Chief Minister told officials.

Chief Minister had earlier announced an ex-gratia of Rs.50 lakh for all the Covid warriors which includes doctors, health workers, ASHA, Anganwadi workers, Police, and all those involved in the management of Covid-19.

( With inputs from ANI )