Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 22 (IANS) Kerala made a magnanimous gesture Wednesday by deciding to give a free Onam kit to an estimated one million migrants currently working in the state.
“I made this proposal at the weekly cabinet meeting here Wednesday. It was cleared instantly,” said Labour Minister Shibu Baby John.
In the recent years, successive state governments handed out a free Onam kit to below poverty line (BPL) category card holders who are Keralites.
“The inauguration will be done by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on the Aug 25 at Kochi. The kits will be handed over to migrant labourers in their homes. The kit would be the same as that given to BPL category card holders,” added John.
The kit will contain two kg rice, one kg sugar, a tea packet and red chillies. One kit is expected to cost Rs.150.
Migrant labourers mostly from West Bengal, Bihar and northeast states are employed in the construction sector in Kerala, besides doing odd jobs.
