Nabanna directs all DMs to ensure free-of-cost food to the poor infected with Covid & in home isolation

Kolkata: State Chief Secretary H.K. Dwivedi on Tuesday directed all District Magistrates (DM) to make immediate arrangements for supply of food to the poor people who are in home isolation after getting affected due to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.

The DMs have been asked to coordinate with the police commissioner or the superintendents of police in order to get details of such patients so that arrangements can be made for delivery of food packets.

As per directions of the Chief Secretary, the food packet would contain puffed rice, rice, pulses, biscuits and some more dry items. The packets would be labeled as 'courtesy West Bengal Government and West Bengal Police'.

The distribution of additional food grains free-of-cost under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY) in Bengal has stopped this month due to non-delivery from the Food Corporation of India.

The Centre had announced that the additional food grains will be supplied till March 2022 but due to short supply distribution has been stopped.

"The initiative to hand over food packets to those who are Covid affected will be of great help to such people as their livelihood is likely to be hit the most due to the pandemic. If food packets are delivered, the urge to go out for work despite being ill will automatically decrease," a senior official of the state government said.

The police would be roped in this delivery process and the director general of police will also issue instructions in this regard.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal Legislative Assembly has cancelled all meetings of the Standing Committee and restricted the attendance of its staff to 50 per cent.