JAGATSINGHPUR: Deprived of entitlements under various Government welfare schemes during the pandemic, aggrieved migrant workers in Jagatsinghpur have resorted to agitation.
On Wednesday, around 60 of them sat on dharna in front of the panchayat office at Kostimallikapur under Tirtol block. They alleged that ration card-holders have not been supplied free food grains under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for three months and under Atma Nirbhar Bharat (ANB) package for two months.
They have also not received the incentive of Rs 2,000 promised by the Government to each migrant worker on completion of the 14-day quarantine period after their return. As per reports, out of 17,000 returnees in the district, only 6,680 have received the cash benefit till date reason being non-release of funds and negligence of officials concerned.
In Balikuda block, nearly 12,600 card holders under National Food Security Act (NFSA) have been unable to avail the benefit. Sarpanch of Borikina under the block Sadhu Charan Sahu said, “Over 486 ration card holders in the panchayat have not received PMGKAY aid in these difficult times. Administrative apathy has made the situation all the more difficult.”
So is the case with the ANB package where the Central Government decided to provide two months of food grains at the rate of Rs 5 per kg per month for two months (May and June) to migrant labourers who are not covered under NFSA or SFSA cards. The district had identified 2,533 migrant labourer families who are eligible for the scheme. But most of them have been left out. In Tirtol block, atleast 496 migrant workers have not received rice under ANB.
Sarapanch of Kostimallikapur Lilima Patra said, “Out of 112 migration workers, 10 kg rice for two months has been supplied only for 32 migrants. Due to delay in processing of documents including Aadhaar card, bank pass book and other documents, not a single worker has yet received the cash incentive in this panchayat.”