New Delhi, Mar 28 (IANS): Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday urged MPs to allocate Rs 1 crore from their MPLADS fund in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Birla in a letter requested the MPs to contribute the fund towards purchasing protective equipment for health workers, masks, testing kits and other essential medical equipment. He has already announced that he would contribute his one month's salary to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

"As public representatives, it is our duty to stand with the people", said Birla in a letter to all Lok Sabha members.

Birla also urged the MPs to explore ways as to how the poor and the needy can be helped in three-week lockdown.

The three-week nationwide lockdown, which entered its fourth day on Saturday, has left several thousand daily wagers without jobs and reduced their means of sustenance. Reports of workers choosing to travel on foot to their villages have emerged from many parts of the country, as public transport has been shut down.