Don't feel helpless till I'm here, says Mamata to those stuck outside state

Kolkata: Assuring that nobody from Bengal should feel helpless till the time she is here, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced that her government will extend all help to people from the state stuck in different parts of the country in returning home.

Banerjee gave necessary instructions to concerned officers of her department to do the needful and personally oversee the entire process, leaving no stones unturned to extend all possible help to people stuck outside the state.

In a tweet on Monday morning, Banerjee stated in this connection: "Government of West Bengal will extend every possible help to people of the state stuck in different parts of the country due to lockdown in returning home. I've instructed my officers to do the needful. Till the time I'm here, nobody from Bengal should feel helpless. I'm with you in these tough times."

Giving assurances of all sort of support, Banerjee further maintained in the tweet: "I am personally overseeing this and we will leave no stones unturned in ensuring that everyone gets all possible help. The initiation has already started and all students from Bengal stuck in Kota would begin their journey back soon."

Request to look into the matter of bringing back students from Kota in Rajasthan came to the state government around a week ago. But it was then found to be next to impossible during the lockdown to bring them back in such a situation, as there would be requirement of around 300 buses taking three night halts while travelling to Bengal.

Later, the Chief Minister herself took initiative, looking into the matter on humanitarian ground and decided to bring the students back. The process of bringing them back has already started and Banerjee has assured that the students will start their journey soon.

Lauding the move, Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee tweeted: "Chinta Nei Didi Aache (Don't worry, Didi is there)".

Bengal was also the first state in the country to ensure financial support to migrant labourers and their families under the scheme Sneher Parash. A mobile phone app has been introduced using which someone stuck outside the state can easily apply for the same. An applicant is provided with financial support of Rs 1,000 each, within 24 hours of receiving their application.

Soon after the lockdown was announced, the Chief Minister wrote to her counterparts in 18 states, requesting to ensure supply of food and other support to people of Bengal stuck in their states.

Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha had subsequently spoken to his counterparts in these states in this connection as well. The state government has also engaged a senior IAS officer as nodal officer to look into the issue of migrant labourers.

The Mamata Banerjee government is also providing food, safety and shelter to more than 2 lakh migrant labourers from other states, who are stuck in Bengal.