Assam BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass on Tuesday asked the party’s all elected representatives to provide food to poor families not covered by the government’s subsidised food schemes during the lockdown period and urged the party’s more than 40 lakh workers to donate at least Rs 100 each to PM Care fund.

In a video message to party workers, Dass said the state government and the Centre had decided to give rice free to those who have BPL (below-poverty line) cards, but many poor families were deprived of those cards.

“These poor families without BPL cards are going to be deprived of ration. Many of them living in your areas may have voting rights in other places. It will be a great pain for us if these families are left to suffer at this moment,” Dass said.

The Assam government has announced to give free rice to 72 lakh beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) from Wednesday.

In addition to that the Centre on Monday had announced 5kg of rice free per person per month for three months. The beneficiaries are covered under the targeted public distribution system in view of coronavirus outbreak.

Dass said from Wednesday each ward member should take responsibility of two families and a councillor five families. According to him, a panchayat or zila parishad president should take responsibility of 10 families. He said each district and state-level office-bearers should take responsibility of 10 families and each MLA up to 4,000 families.

Dass added that in areas where the BJP does not have its MLAs, the party’s MPs should do the utmost to reach out to such families.

He said the election observers appointed in different constituencies should also try their best to help the poor families.

“Besides, I appeal to all our party workers to donate at least Rs 100 each to PM Care fund. With your contribution the government will be able to protect someone’s life. We should all support the effort of our Prime Minister at this moment,” Dass said.

He thanked BJP members for staying back at home during the lockdown period and said social distancing is the key to prevent the pandemic which has taken lives of nearly 40,000 people globally.