By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Raja Swain as he is popularly known in eastern Indian State of Odisha led by BJD’s Naveen Patnaik , proved a point too that not only senior IAS and IPS officers but also energetic and people friendly political leaders like him can also do much better during humanitarian crisis like COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown , which already in its 4th phase.
Raja Swain aka Ranendra Pratap Swain, a 7th times MLA from Cuttack’s prestigious Athagarh Assembly segment, who was inducted for the 2nd time in Naveen Patnaik’s Cabinet during the BJD’s 5 consecutive terms win in Odisha, has been given the baton of most important Food Supplies, Consumer Welfare and Co-operation portfolios against his earlier assignment of Sports and Youth Services in his first entry into Patnaik’s Cabinet.
With relaxation made on rail and road transports to ferry stranded migrants’ workers, Minister Swain led Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department has been missing no stone unturned to reach out to them at various checks points of the State’s bordering areas.
All the migrant workers passing through check points are being provided with 10 kgs of rice and two kgs of cereals for two months free of cost. Minister Raja Swain said the migrant workers are provided with the food items under Atmanirbhar Bharat. The check points at which the migrant workers being provided with free food items are Biramitrapur in Sundargarh, Champua in Keonjhar, Chandili in Koraput, Girisola in Ganjam), Jamshola in Mayurbhanj, Kanaktora in Jharsuguda, Kereda in Rayagada, Khariar Road in Nuapada, Laxmannath in Balasore, Loharchoti in Bargarh, Motuin Malkangiri and Sunki in Koraput.
Swain, who twitted photos of various checks points where his Department officials distributing food materials, said 11 district collectors have been informed of the matter and they have been directed to take appropriate measures to provide the food items at 12 check points falling in the jurisdiction of 11 districts.
The Minister said all arrangements have been made to ensure safe journey of the migrant workers. He said the state government is giving due emphasis on the provision of free food items for the migrant workers and added that none should be deprived of food during journey.
The Minister said the migrant workers who have given food items free of cost during transit are identified by the marking of indelible ink on their middle finger of left hand. The district collectors have been asked to prepare a foolproof list of the workers who have received free food.
