COVID-19: Odisha government makes arrangements for eight lakh migrant returnees to quarantine

BHUBANESWAR: As migrant workers continue to return home in droves, the State Government has made arrangements for accommodating eight lakh persons in quarantine centres and temporary medical centres (TMCs), Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy said here on Tuesday.

Since May 3, at least 3,21,881 Odias stranded in other states have returned by trains, buses and other modes of transport.

As many as 35,861 persons returned to the State on Tuesday itself. Tripathy, however, maintained that so far 1,53,738 migrants have returned by 109 special trains.

Out of this, 73,000 have returned to Ganjam district alone, he said.

Stating that involvement of panchayat raj institutions (PRIs) with Covid-19 management process is the need of the hour, the three-tier institutions as an unit of administration has enhanced community participation.

So far, one lakh persons have completed quarantine, he said and added that Covid-19 testing policy, quarantine, discharge policy of the State are more refined and being followed strictly.

The Government is ensuring that no migrant worker should walk inside Odisha border, Tripathy said and added that 14,669 workers from other states have been transported to the border check posts of their home states by bus.

Stating that the Government has planned to boost job creation for workers returning home amid the Covid-19 lockdown, he said a target has been fixed to create 20 lakh mandays per day under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Besides, 3.85 lakh tonne paddy has been procured so far from 17 districts which is 40 per cent more in comparison to last year, he said and added that `521 crore has been deposited in the account of farmers in this regard.