Over 75 lakh being fed at food camps: MHA

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 5

Over 12.5 lakh homeless migrants have been shifted to 28,000 migrant relief camps across India amid the Covid crisis, Joint Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), said today. Also, over 75 lakh people were being provided food in various states and UTs.

“The MHA has been continuously monitoring the enforcement of lockdown measures across all states and UTs,” she said, asserting that the supply of essential goods and services was satisfactory. “A total of 27,661 migrant relief camps have been set up in states and UTs — 23,924 by the government and 3,737 by NGOs. At least 12.5 lakh migrant workers have been provided shelter in these camps,” Srivastava said.

Besides,19,460 food camps had been set up in various states/UTs — 9,951 by the government and 9,509 by NGOs — where over 75 lakh were being fed, she said. These facilities were for the poor, the destitute and migrant workers. Addressing the media,along with the Union Health Ministry, Srivastava said 13.6 lakh workers were being provided food and shelter by their employers.

The government had given permission for manufacturing and packaging essential goods like medical devices. In its April 3 guidelines, it had exempted inter-state movement of employees working in these units, she added.