The State Government has initiated State Covid-19 GO-CSO Collab Response Facility for engaging civil society organisations across different states to reach out to migrants workers from state struck at different parts of country and extending them full support for their survival during the distress situation.

The control room has so far received 25,245 calls and 8,37,410 stranded persons (13 April) from the control rooms set up by the Department of Labour, Employment and Training, Government Jharkhand and managed by Phia Foundation in the last 21 days from across all parts of the country.

The team has come as a helping hand for thousands of people of the State, who are stuck elsewhere during the national lockdown due to COVID-19 crisis.

The Department of Labour, Employment & Training, has established COVID-19 Response Team (Control Room at State Secretariat, Nepal House).

Excise Commissioner Bhor Singh Yadav, who has been entrusted with the task to look the affairs of control room had said, “The control room’s main objective is to help people who are struck at different parts of country once they made a call at the control room.” JhonsonTopno of Phia foundation said, “Earlier the Response facility used to share details with Government agencies but now we have decided to bring in civil societies in helping migrant labourers who are struck at different parts of country.”

Topno said, “The Civil societies along with Government agencies will help in tracing migrant labourers and provide all necessary assistance such as food, accommodation and counseling to migrant labourers as these labourers away from family are upset and requires immediate counseling.”

Sources said that the  State Covid-19 GO-CSO Collab Response Facility has joined hands with 13 big civil societies prominent among them are Oxfam India, Action Aid Network, Wassan Network,  among others. These civil societies have big network and various small NGOs working under their ambit.

The work of civil societies is to provide all necessary assistance to migrant labourers during lockdown period. Topno claimed that as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended the lockdown period till May 3, the work of response team will gain momentum.

State wise the maximum call is received from Maharashtra followed by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Delhi and other states.

The COVID 19 response Team has a strong 200 team members working in 3 shifts (24X7 working hours) belonging to various departments of the State government along with the PACS- Phia Foundation team members.