Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday announced a proposal to re-enlist “Covid warriors” on the rosters of casual workers fighting the ongoing pandemic in the state, at a time most health districts are battling bed and vaccine shortages.

The Mamata government last year had enlisted “Covid warriors” — mostly migrant workers who came back home with Covid, and then recovered from the infection — in Covid hospitals as casual labour.

Addressing a workers’ meet in Murshidabad district’s Behrampore, Mamata stressed the need to revert to modes of work adopted during the first wave last year.

“We are standing by all those Covid warriors who are either working or have contracted the disease. Remember, Murshidabad was the first place where the Covid Warriors club originated,” said Mamata, referring to the initiative of her government last year.

“Many are still working with us. After the elections, we will enlist them into various employments including in the health department so they can make our fight against Covid better,” she added, speaking at Rabindra Bhavan in Behrampore.

Sources said the move, if successful, would require reversals that were undertaken during the dip in cases last year.

A casual worker at government hospitals is paid anywhere between Rs 300 and 500 a day. However, most such youths were let go when the government pulled out of leased private healthcare facilities at a time when Covid cases dipped to save costs.

“The situation will need to go back to one where we have the maximum possible infrastructure and manpower,” said a district official.

“Covid warriors need to be re-enlisted and we are going through rosters that are lying with healthcare or party workers,” they added.

Murshidabad has a high number of migrant workers as they are renowned across the country for their skills in masonry and agriculture.

In Hooghly’s Arambagh, a group of 22 such youths are protesting outside the state hospital for over a week demanding their jobs back in light of the spike in Covid infections.

“We will be very happy for the opportunity to serve people and to make a living. We are living without income,” said Jayanta Malik, one of the Covid warriors demonstrating in Arambagh.

Sources said around 20 Covid warriors have been deployed at Covid hospitals and other places as the number of patients rose in Birbhum.

Deputy chief medical officer-III (health) Jayanta Sukul confirmed tentative plans of the re-enlistment. “The recent spike is very worrying and we are working on possible solutions. We have reinstated few Covid warriors,” he said.