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Assuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Uttar Pradesh would follow the guidelines of the Centre, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath admitted that migrant workers returning to UP were posing a big challenge but the state government was working hard to ensure employment to them.
“The migrant workers are posing a big challenge for us. So far, we have sent more than nine lakh workers and labourers to home quarantine. Out of this seven lakh workers have completed their home quarantine. We are preparing to give them jobs,” Yogi told the prime minister during his conversation with him through video conferencing on Monday.
Yogi said that in the last four days, more than three lakh people had come to UP by buses and trains.
“More than 10 lakh people will arrive in near future. We have introduced labour reforms to employ 20 lakh people,” he said.
Realising that his government had drawn a lot of flak for bringing in labour reforms, the chief minister said that it was necessary to implement labour reforms so as to invite industries to set up their units in UP.
“These (labour reforms) will be implemented only where new units will be set up. Besides, it will also be applicable in those old units where new labourers are being employed,” he said.
Elaborating on the welfare scheme his government has implemented, Yogi said that under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, 2.34 crore farmers had received two instalments of `2,000 each while under the Jan Dhan Yojana, `500 had been deposited twice in the accounts of woman account holders. Besides, he said, under the Ujjwala scheme, 1.47 crore people had been given LPG cylinders twice.
Yogi said that so far, food grains had been distributed to 3.32 crore ration card holders under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana in April.
“On May 1, food grains were distributed to 13.28 crore people on 3.19 crore ration cards. This includes distribution of free food grains on 95 lakh ration cards. Besides, Two months’ pension amounting to `871.46 crore was released to 86,71,781 beneficiaries under various pension schemes,” he said.
“We have started industries in the green zone. In orange zone too, the operation of industries will start in accordance with the Central government’s guidelines,” he said. The chief minister said in Uttar Pradesh, more than 15 lakh labourers were currently employed.
“We have started emergency services in hospitals. Instructions have been given to start emergency services at the rates of Ayushman Bharat Scheme in 660 private hospitals all over UP. This facility has been made available in government hospitals in all 75 districts. We have also started telemedicine,” Yogi informed the prime minister.
UP has started purchasing wheat from April 15 and 120.52 lakh quintals of wheat has been procured from 2,26,461 farmers through 5,858 government purchasing centres, the chief minister added.
Yogi said that 4.89 lakh stray cattle had been protected by opening 5,029 cow protection centres in the state. He said the supply of fodder for the cattle was ensured in all districts and 2,461 fodder banks had been established across the state.