Lakhs of migrant workers who have returned or will return to Bengal in the wake of the Covid-induced prolonged lockdown, and have no ration cards, will get free ration for two months through coupons, starting this month.

The state government has taken this step to reassure the migrant workforce who have been rendered jobless at their host states in the wake of the lockdown.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on June 3 directed district officials during a videoconference to distribute free food grains to all migrants, including those without ration cards.

The state government order, dated June 2, said food grains would be distributed to stranded migrants “who don’t possess any digital ration card or special coupon, free of cost, to mitigate their plight....”

The food and supplies department has allocated free ration for 60,18,377 such beneficiaries, stipulating each will get 5kg rice and 1kg of whole gram per ration coupon.

Each district has been given a quota of issuing such coupons, depending upon reports of the influx of migrant workers in the districts concerned.

Officials said the migrant workers in home quarantine at present would get their allotments at their doorstep and “temporary coupons” would be given at the quarantine centres as well.

As of Sunday, there are 1.38 lakh people in quarantine centres who returned by Shramik Special trains, and 1.54 lakh in home quarantine who came by trains and by other means as well.

Another 1.82 lakh returnees are estimated to have successfully completed the quarantine formalities.

Ahead of the Bengal Assembly election year, the migrant issue has raised the stakes for both the ruling Trinamul and the Opposition BJP.

Mamata has hit out at the BJP and the Centre for its alleged poor planning of the lockdown and for “playing petty politics” with Covid and Amphan.

Recently last week, after Union home minister Amit Shah accused the Trinamul chief of not allowing adequate trains for migrant workers, Mamata rubbished those allegations and said on Wednesday that her government had so far brought back 8.5 lakh migrants home by rail and road (the number rose to 10 lakh on Friday).

“We are anticipating a larger influx of migrant labourers within the next fortnight,” an official said.

On the ration coupons, a senior state official said that with migrant workers coming back, it was discovered they did not possess ration cards because they had been staying in other states for long.

“That’s why the state government has allocated free ration for them for two months, June and July. Anyone can apply for the coupon with the local administration,” the official said.

“Apart from migrant workers, there are many people in the state who are from other states and have no ration cards. They will also be benefited,” he added.

So far, applications for free ration coupons have not gained pace at the offices in many districts.

Ration will be delivered at the doorsteps of people in home quarantine or in containment zones. Women from self-help groups will help reach ration to homes, a source said.

“Anyone who has no ration card can apply to us (at the local body), and we will allot the food grain to the dealer in his or her area. We will deliver ration at the doorstep of those who are in home quarantine because they can’t queue up at ration shops,” said Birbhum district magistrate Moumita Godara Basu.

Officials said that while waiting for voluntary applications, officials have started calculating people at quarantine centres and in home quarantine. Officials have also distributed coupons at quarantine centres.

“We have 791 quarantine centres and around 8,000 migrant workers. We can help them fill up a form at the quarantine centre and give them temporary coupons,” said Rahul Majumdar, Purulia’s district magistrate.