PM CARES fund for migrants will go to state govts and not in hands of migrants: Chidambaram

A day after the PM-CARES Fund trust announced ₹1000 crore for the migrants, former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram has said that the money will go directly to the state governments, and not in the hands of the migrants.

In a statement former finance minister said, "PM-CARES has allocated ₹1000 crore for migrant workers. Please don't make the common mistake. The money will not be given to the migrant workers but to the State governments to meet the expenses on travel, accommodation, medicine and food for the migrant workers. But nothing will go into the hands of the migrant workers."

Chidambaram said that a migrant worker who has crossed all hurdles and returned to his village has no jobs. He has no work and no income. How will he survive and support his family?

The Congress has been demanding package for the migrant labourers who have been walking across the country to reach their villages.

Earlier, on Wednesday, Chidambaram, while addressing a press conference in Delhi, said, "There is nothing in what the FM said for the lakhs of poor, hungry and devastated migrant workers who have walked and many thousands are still walking back to their home states. This is a cruel blow dealt to those who toil every day."

"There is also nothing by way of cash transfer to the bottom half of the population (13 crore families) who have been pushed into destitution. Only yesterday, Prof Thomas Pikketty pleaded for cash transfers to the poor," added Chidambaram.