Trinamul Congress’s youth wing chief Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday urged 5.5 lakh youths, who registered in the Bangla’r Jubo Shokti (Bengal’s Youth Power) initiative launched on June 11, to each take up 10 families in distress in the wake of Covid-19 and Cyclone Amphan and “take care” of them.

Trinamul’s de facto Number Two said the “apolitical” initiative was launched with the aim of finding one lakh willing youths, but it ended up securing registration from 5.5 lakh volunteers.

Banerjee said the main role of each volunteer or Yuva Yodhya (Young Warrior) would be to identify and stand by 10 families in need.

“Everyone has to (do it). I myself will be working with 10 such families. Take your time in picking the families — there should be no political bias in this — for once committed, there’s no going back,” said the Diamond Harbour MP.

“All of it, however, must be done without endangering the safety of yourselves or those you seek to help, amid the pandemic…. For instance, use WhatsApp groups to the extent possible for communication and coordination,” he added.

The programme involves people between the ages of 18 and 35, sharing the “apolitical” platform to help Bengal fight back amid the pandemic and after the superstorm.

The 10-member coordination committee for the initiative comprises Trinamul’s youth leaders such as Debraj Chakraborty, Samrat Tapadar, and Debangshu Bhattacharya, known for their proximity to Banerjee.

A source in Trinamul said poll strategist Prashant Kishor and his Indian Political Action Committee were major contributors to the planning and execution of the exercise.

The initiative was planned before the groundswell of popular rage against the alleged irregularities and graft in the post-cyclone relief and rehabilitation.

“It, therefore, turned out to be a lucky coincidence. Because without political banners, this mass outreach could be conducted to assuage the wrath of the aggrieved,” said a source in Trinamul.