The Rajasthan government will be providing free ration to labourers and daily wagers, and for the same a special assistance scheme is being made for their families.
The government has made 26 categories that includes beggars, barbers, washer men, rickshaw pullers, domestic helps and others for special assistance. The district collectors have been asked to conduct survey to assess numbers.
Food and Civil Supply Minister, Ramesh Meena said “The lockdown has badly affected the daily wagers and in order to assist them, the government is identifying them. So far, 26 categories have been listed and more could be added. The identified categories are being surveyed to assess their numbers. The survey work will be completed by May 20 in rural areas and May 24 in urban areas.”
“There are many who aren’t getting benefit of schemes and are daily wagers. After the reports are received, the government would provide them free dry ration,” he added.
Chief Secretary DB Gupta has directed all collectors to conduct survey in their respective districts. “Due to Covid-19 pandemic, there is nationwide lockdown since last 50 days, because of which all industries, trades, business and other economic activities are stalled. This has resulted in unemployment of labourer and daily wagers, and in coming time, they would face difficulty for two meals a day,” said Gupta. He added that the way the pandemic is spreading, it seems that situation will take time to normalise.
In the orders issued to the collectors, the government has issued the guidelines for identification during survey of this special category such as only Jan-Aadhar data should be used. For non NFSA families, survey through village level core committees and booth level officer; and in urban areas through municipalities and BLOs.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot have many times urged GoI for additional allocation of wheat as other than beneficiaries of NFSA and BPL families, there are many families who need free ration as due to lockdown they aren’t able to earn their daily bread. Majority among are those which are daily wagers but today are helpless due to lockdown.
The state government had requested GoI to allot additional wheat to the state to fulfill requirement. There are 4.46 crore families covered under the NFSA in the state as per the census of 2011 which, should be 5.04 crore as per the current population.
