Uttar Pradesh: CM Yogi Adityanath transfers Rs 1000 to each of 10.48 lakh labourer families

On Saturday the UP government said Rs 1,000 was sent through direct bank transfers to 10.48 lakh families. A total amount of Rs 104.82 was transferred online, providing 1000 Rs of assistance to each family under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme.

While speaking to the media persons in Lucknow, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi said that the Chief Minister (Yogi Adityanath) distributed Rs 1,000 to 10,48,166 lakh workers' and labourers' families through the Department of Revenue through direct bank transfer. This money was made available to the State COVID Fund. When the CM spoke to the labourers (through video conferencing), they had smartphones, and they told the CM that SMS had arrived on their phones regarding the transfer.

The CM has given officials instructions to speed up development work. "As far as Poorvanchal and Bundelkhand expressways are concerned, the CM has instructed officials to expedite work and employ workers and labourers who have returned to the state," Awasthi said.

A government statement said, "Discussions are taking place with Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar for the return of migrants," the statement read.

The statement also said Saturday the Punjab National Bank handed over a Rs 750 crore loan check to the CM for Gorakhpur Link Expressway construction. Brick kiln makers leave UP in three trains

The process of returning workers from other states employed in Uttar Pradesh's brick kilns has begun with three trains leaving them for their native states, said Awasthi.

A migration commission is being set up by the state government to provide jobs for migrant workers/labourers, the chief minister reiterated. He said due to the Covid-19 pandemic 35 lakh migrant labourers had to return home in adverse circumstances. After completing skill mapping, district administration officers should provide a list of the migrant labourers' bank account numbers, he added.

The process of returning workers from other states employed in Uttar Pradesh's brick kilns has begun with three trains leaving them for their native states, said Awasthi.

"Three trains have left the state with workers and labourers from other states employed in the brick kilns and this process will continue," Awasthi said.

About 15 more trains will leave soon and a total of 200 trains will be arranged to take them back according to the chief minister's directions, Awasthi further said.

The workers from Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh are employed in the brick kilns of the state and the government has directed the respective district magistrates to ensure that all their duties are cleared by the owners of the kilns before their return.

The chief minister also talked to some of the beneficiaries in Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Azamgarh, Jhansi, Siddharth Nagar and Gonda at a video conference. He said a scheme for the marriage of daughters of labourers was also being formulated by the state labour department.

During the Covid-19 crisis, Uttar Pradesh did good work and this was an example for others in the country, the UP CM said. In listing welfare measures, he said the state government was providing cost-free treatment to Covid-19 patients and Atal residential schools were being established in every division to provide education to the workers' children.