Mamata Banerjee appeals to the Centre to offer Rs 10,000 to migrant workers from PM-CARES fund

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to Twitter and Facebook on Wednesday to appeal to the Central government to transfer Rs 10,000 to migrant workers as a one-time assistance, stating that they have been faced with “hardships of unimaginable proportions” because of the ongoing pandemic. She said this should also include people from the unorganised sector. Banerjee wrote that the amount can be drawn from the PM-CARES fund which has been set up to fight the pandemic.

Her Facebook and Twitter posts on Wednesday came a day after she wrote on her social media accounts that the Bengal government had transferred funds to nearly five lakh people affected by Amphan for repairing their homes. The amount has been directly transferred to the accounts of various beneficiaries directly – a decision that has been lauded by many because there are often allegations of such funds being siphoned off among powerful party leaders at various levels. The allegations have been made against leaders of the ruling party, and while Banerjee has politically stood up for her party leaders, she has taken an administrative decision to avoid these possibilities and controversies this time.

She also wrote that the government has also released crop damage assistance to 23.3 lakh families apart from 2 lakh betel farmers. The government released Rs 1,444 crore so far against an initial estimate of Rs 1,350 crore, she wrote.

The PM-CARES fund – recently set up by the Central government following the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus – has drawn huge amount of donations, but has been controversial as well.

It was stated by the PMO recently that the fund is not a public authority under section 2 (h) of the Right to Information Act, 2005. This came as a surprise to many as the PM is the ex-officio chairperson of the trust, and three cabinet members are its trustees. The Opposition has questioned the need for opening a new fund for donations relating to COVID-19 when the PM’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) already exists.

While Banerjee has not commented on this aspect of the PM-CARES fund, she has criticised the Centre for the way migrant workers have been packed off into trains and sent to various destinations without food and water. Many migrant workers have died on their way in various trains across the country.

Her appeal to the Centre for a one-time assistance of Rs 10,000 to the migrant workers under this backdrop thus seems significant.