COVID-19 Task Force Committee Chairman M.T. Krishna Babu on Wednesday said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had given clear instructions on extending all possible help to students and migrant labour from Andhra Pradesh who were stranded in other States during the lockdown period.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Krishna Babu said nearly 8,183 students and migrant workers belonging to A.P. were stranded in at least 10 States across the country. Of them, 6,000 were fishermen held up in Gujarat. To ensure their safety and well-being, the government had sent assistance to them through a team of revenue officials, accompanied by four representatives of the fishermen association. A majority of these fishermen were from Srikakulam district. Another 1,412 people from the State were in relief centres of Tamil Nadu which and its government was urged to ensure their safety.

Relief centres

Similarly, the government had had set up 353 relief centres in the State for nearly 53,000 people belonging to other States. Besides food and shelter, adequate medical services were being given to the stranded persons.

Mr. Krishna Babu said Chief Secretary Satish Chandra and Special Secretary Arja Srikanth were constantly in touch with officials of other States to ensure that no inconvenience was caused to people who could not return home due to the lockdown. In addition to this, some 200 people from A.P. who were returning home, were held up in New Delhi as they could not continue their onward journey due to travel restrictions.

He said based on the Prime Minister’s decision on the lockdown, these people would be brought back home at the earliest.

‘Helpline a big hit’

He said the helpline number 1902 had so far received 7,295 calls and an official team had been addressing the grievances immediately. Swift arrangements were being made to ensure free flow of essential commodities such as red gram and onions which were being imported from Maharashtra and other States.

He said responding to the nearly 2,500 calls from people complaining that they had not received the promised ₹ 1,000 financial assistance, the Chief Minister had instructed the officials to extend the financial support to not just who had ration cards but others who were in need of help.