The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday authorised all the states to use the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for providing relief measures to the migrant workers during the lockdown period due to coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

The ministry has changed the rules for assistance under the SDRF, facilitating the availability of money for food and temporary accommodation for migrant workers. In a communication to all chief secretaries,the ministry also said medical care and clothing can be provided to migrant workers during the lockdown period announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the new rules of the SDRF, provision fortemporary accommodation, food, clothing medical cure etc., would be applicableto homeless people, including migrant labourers, stranded due to lockdownmeasures and sheltered in relief camps and other places, a home ministryofficial said.

"As per the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,the government has committed all support to migrant workers during lockdownperiod," said Home Minister Amit Shah while reviewing the country'spreparedness to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The states have been advised to give wide publicity andawareness, using public address systems, technology and by utilising theservices of volunteers and NGOs, to precise information on--(i) the location ofthe relief camps and the facilities being made available, and (ii) reliefpackage under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana and measures being takenby the State Government Administration.

The shelters are to be organised, keeping in view variousprecautions including social distancing, with adequate Medical check-up drivesto identify and separate cases requiring quarantine or hospitalisation.

There have been reports of a large number of migrant workersleaving their workplaces in different parts of the country and walking down totheir native places, hundreds of kilometres away facing hardships on the way.The migrant workers are left with no option but to walk as normal transportservices have been hit after the announcement of the nationwide lockdown by PMModi on March 24.

In another step to combat the challenge of coronavirusCOVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’ (PMCARES Fund), a public charitable trust. The fund has been set up so that thepeople who want to contribute can do so by following a few simple steps which will help the government tide over the major COVID-19 hurdle. While the Prime Minister is the Chairman of this trust, its members include Defence Minister,Home Minister and Finance Minister.

The pandemic of COVID-19 has engulfed the entire world and has posed serious challenges for the health and economic security of millions of people worldwide. In India too, the spread of coronavirus has been alarming and is posing severe health and economic ramifications for our country. The Prime Minister’s office has been receiving spontaneous and innumerable requests for making generous donations to support the government in the wake of this emergency.