New Delhi, March 27: The government has urged all States and Union Territories (UTs) in India to take immediate steps to make adequate arrangements for migrant workers, students and others from outside the States amid COVID-19 crisis. Union Home Secretary AK Bhalla has written to all States/UTs to take immediate steps to provide adequate support, including food and shelter, to migrant agricultural labourers, industrial workers and other unorganized sector workers during the 21-day nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.

Also, all the States/ UTs have been asked to ensure that hotels, rented accommodations, hostels etc., continue to remain functional and delivery of essential items is streamlined, so that students, working women hostel inmates etc. are allowed to continue in existing facilities, while observing precautions. Coronavirus Death Toll in India Rises to 18 After 65-Year-Old Man Dies in Karnataka's Tumakuru.

The advisory suggests that in order to mitigate the situation for unorganized sector workers, particularly stranded migrant workers, States/UTs need to explore measures by involving various agencies, including NGOs, to provide food and shelter with basic amenities like clean drinking water, sanitation etc.

According to the government order, all States/UTs have also been advised to make these vulnerable groups aware of the measures taken by the Government including provision of free food grains & other essential items through PDS, and streamline the distribution system. This would help prevent avoidable movement of such people, the advisory said.

The government release further states that while ensuring supply of essential goods and services, States/UTs are being repeatedly directed to enforce the lockdown strictly and take action against violators under various provisions of law. This is imperative to contain the spread of COVID-19.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 27, 2020 04:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).