The campaign, called Snehar Porosh, will also ensure food supply to migrant labourers. (Express photo/Deepak Joshi)

The West Bengal government on Saturday launched a scheme to provide one-time financial assistance of Rs 1,000 to around 1 lakh migrant workers stranded in other states due to the extended nationwide lockdown.

The campaign, called Snehar Porosh, will also ensure food supply to migrant labourers. According to an official, they are mostly stranded in Kerala, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.

Addressing media persons at the state secretariat, Nabanna, Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha said, “We have been sending food to them. Now, we have decided to transfer Rs 1,000 as financial assistance to them. We will give this money through a mobile application after a small verification.”

He said the government would start sending money from Monday. Twelve patients have died of the novel coronavirus and 178 have been infected with SARS-CoV 2, the virus that causes the disease, in the state.

The hope of returning home for migrants diminished early this week when Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the nationwide lockdown by more than two more weeks to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly urged workers from the state to stay wherever they are.