Coronavirus pandemic | Over Rs 53 crore from Maharashtra CM’s COVID-19 relief fund spent on sending migrants home: RTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched an employment scheme for migrant workers on June 20, saying that during COVID-19 enforced lockdown the talent from cities returned to villages and it will now give a boost to development in rural areas. Launching the 'Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan', Modi said there are some people who might not appreciate efforts of villagers in the fight against coronavirus but he applauds them for their efforts.

Reply to a Right to Information (RTI) query has revealed that the Chief Minister’s relief fund for coronavirus in Maharashtra has received donations totalling Rs 342.01 crore till May 18, 2020.

Of the amount received, the Maharashtra government has utilised Rs 79.82 crore till now.

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A staggering Rs 53.45 crore of the donation amount has been spent on sending migrant labourers back home, reported India Today. The sum was transferred to 36 district collectors to help them pay train fares of the migrants on time.

The state government further stated that Rs 1.30 crore was spent on arranging commute for migrant labourers from Ratnagiri district, while Rs 44.40 lakh was spent on transport migrants stranded in Sangli district back to their homes.

Commenting on the expenditure pattern, RTI activist Anil Galgali said: “In March, Maharashtra government had sought funds from people to deal with the pandemic. People gave this money to the Chief Minister so that it can be used to deal with issues related to COVID. Today, there are no ICUs, there is a shortage of beds and oxygen. The money should have been used for this. Instead, it is being used to send people by trains.”

Another Rs 23.82 crore has been spent on coronavirus-related arrangements. The reply to Galgali’s query reveals that Rs 20 crore was given to Mumbai’s St Georges Hospital alone, while Rs 3,82,50,000 was allotted to the Department of Medical Education.

A large amount was also given out as financial aid to the family of the 16 labourers who died in a tragic train accident in Aurangabad while they were returning home on foot. The deceased migrants were returning to their native in Madhya Pradesh on May 8, when the mishap took place. A compensation of Rs 80 lakh was given to the family of each of the deceased.

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