Tribune News Service

Lucknow, March 21

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday announced a comprehensive relief package for the 1.65 crore daily wagers, small businesses, MNREGA beneficiaries as well as the old age, disability and widow pension holders to tide over their loss of livelihood due to the Covid-19.

CM Yogi said each of them would be given free ration for a month that includes 20 kg of wheat and 15 kg of rice. The 80,000 PDS shops across the state would distribute the free ration under the supervision of a nodal officer.

The relief measures are based on the recommendations of the three-member committee set up after the Cabinet meeting on March 17 to provide a subsistence wage to daily wagers during this period by suggesting ways to help the most marginalised.

The committee headed by the Finance Minister included the agriculture and labour ministers. It was expected to submit its report within three days.

CM Yogi said the roughly 20.23 lakh construction labourers registered with the Department of Labor would be paid a subsistence wage of Rs 1,000 directly into their bank accounts.

Additionally, the same subsistence wage would be paid to the 15 lakh persons doing odd jobs identified in a statewide survey. They are cart pullers, rickshaw drivers, kiosk owners, and small businesses impacted by the closure of markets.

CM Yogi said orders have been issued to pay all pending wages to the MNREGA beneficiaries before the end of March. The 83.83 lakh beneficiaries of the old age, disability, and widow pension would also be paid their April-May pension in advance to help them face the crisis.

According to the Chief Minister, if any person in either a rural or urban area is still left out from the safety net he or she should go through the district administration to demand the Rs 1,000 subsistence wage.

Appealing to the people to remain calm and abstain from stocking things more than required, Yogi assured of adequate food supplies, medicines, sanitisers, masks and other essential items in the state.

Entry of Outsiders banned at Ram Mela

Lucknow: In view of the growing menace of Covid-19, the Uttar Pradesh Government has banned the entry of outside pilgrims at the annual Ram Mela in Ayodhya beginning March 25. The Ayodhya district administration on Saturday issued an advisory preventing outsider pilgrim from entering the holy city until April 2. Ayodhya district magistrate Anuj Ojha said pilgrims entering the district would be stopped at the border. TNS