Adityanath Government Steps In To Help Daily-Wage Workers Affected By Shutdown To Contain Spread Of Covid-19

In the wake of the Covid-19 threat, the Yogi Adityanath government has announced that it will give financial assistance to daily-wage workers, who will be hit by shutdown in Uttar Pradesh.

For this, the Adityanath-led government has formed a high-level committee. Finance Minister Suresh Khanna, will chair it. It will include agriculture and labour ministers. According to this report, the committee will decide "the nature of the assistance to the labourers".

The transfer of money to daily-wage labourers will be considered to help those workers, who will be affected by the halting of construction and related work, and other activities. The shutdown is aimed at curbing the threat and spread of Covid-19.

The step by the Chief Minister is expected to work as a security net for the daily-wage workers, who would benefit from the compensation during the halt of activities that provide them livelihood.

According to the government spokesman quoted in the report, "the poor, most of whom earn their livelihood on a daily basis" will get a certain amount in their account through real time gross settlement (RTGS).

The committee will submit its report to the Chief Minister in three days.

A government spokesperson is quoted as saying:

The UP government had earlier announced the closure of all educational institutions, cinemas, multiplexes and tourist hotspots in order to contain the spread of Covid-19 until 2 April.