KOLKATA:  West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday appealed to the Centre to give one-time assistance of Rs 10,000 each to migrant workers amid the COVID-19 crisis.

In a tweet, she said financial aid should also be provided to those engaged in the unorganised sector to help them cope with the ongoing economic crisis arising out of the lockdown.

Banerjee suggested that a portion of the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES) could be used for the purpose.

"People have been facing economic hardship of unimaginable proportions bcz of the ongoing pandemic. I appeal to Central Govt to transfer Rs 10,000 each as one-time assistance to migrant labourers including people in unorganized sector.

A portion of PM-CARES could be used for this," she tweeted. The country's economy headed towards its first annual contraction in several decades following which the government has started easing lockdown norms in many regions of the country.