Kolkata, Jul 18 (IANS): Trinamool Congress' Lok Sabha member and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday urged the young generation to come forward and help poor people who are in distress due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan in the state.

Addressing a virtual meeting, he said: "We, on behalf of the Trinamool Congress, started a drive to encourage the young generation to join hands in helping people in distress. We set a target to induct one lakh youths, both male and female, from different parts of Bengal. Now the figure has increased to over 5 lakhs who have voluntarily participated in the programme."

The Trinamool MP said the principal role of each of these 5.5 lakh Yuva Yodhya (Young Warriors) will be to identify 10 poor families and regularly communicate with them.

"Each Yuva Yodhya will take care of 10 families from across the state. They have the freedom to make a list of 10 such families according to their wish and start their work," Banerjee added.

The move of the Trinamool MP came in the wake of the corona crisis and the post-Amphan scenario at a time when the state witnessed widespread anger over irregularities in the cyclone relief fund and poor healthcare infrastructure in various districts.

According to political analysts, it was nothing but a mass connect drive by the ruling Trinamool Congress in the run up to the Assembly polls scheduled next year. The party is also set to observe its Martyr's Day on July 21 - an annual showpiece political event that is organised in Kolkata every year.

Banerjee said people, irrespective of their political affiliation, can join the direct mass outreach initiative.