COVID-19: Mamata Banerjee urges Centre to provide Rs 10,000 aid to each migrant worker

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged the Centre to provide financial assistance of Rs 10,000 to every migrant labourer, including people in the unorgsed sector, citing the economic hardship due to COVID-19.

"People have been facing economic hardship of unimaginable proportions bcz of the ongoing pandemic. I appeal to Central Govt to transfer Rs10,000 each as one-time assistance to migrant labourers including people in unorgzed sector. A portion of PM-CARES could be used for this," Banerjee tweeted.

Earlier, PM-CARES (Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations) Fund Trust allocated Rs 3,100 crore for the fight against COVID-19 of which Rs 2,000 crore will be used for the purchase of ventilators, Rs 1,000 crore to aid migrant labourers and Rs 100 crore for coronavirus vaccine development.

The trust formed on March 27, 2020, is headed by Prime Minister (ex-officio). Other ex-officio Members of the trust are Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister.

( With inputs from ANI )