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Stop exodus, make migrants aware of free food grains: Centre tells states, UTs
The migrants, mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, have left the metros across the country after losing jobs and unable today for food and rent after the government enforced strict rules to lock down the country in an effort to fight Covid-19 spread.
As hundreds of thousands of migrants workers started walking back to their villages from big cities across the country, the government on Friday issued an advisory to states and Union territories to stop the mass exodus amid the 21-day lockdown, PTI reported.
News agency Press Trust of India said the Union ministry of home affairs has asked the state governments and administrations of Union territories to prevent the movement of these migrant and agricultural labourers and workers of industrial and unorganised sectors.
They have been advised to “make vulnerable groups” aware of free food grains and other essentials to stop the mass exodus, PTI reported.
The migrants, mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, have left the metros across the country after losing jobs and unable today for food and rent after the government enforced strict rules to lock down the country in an effort to fight Covid-19 spread.
Chief ministers of several states, including West Bengal and Jharkhand, have raised concerns for the safety and needs of these workers seen on deserted highways as they trudged back to their villages after trains, buses and all other modes of transports were stopped.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has even written to her counterparts in 18 states, urging them to provide basic shelter, food and medicine to migrant workers from her state. “We, in Bengal, are taking care of such stuck people in our state,” she said in her letter.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officers of all 75 districts in his state to serve food and water to these migrant labourers and Delhi’s Kejriwal has said his government will take care of all such people.
The government has said it is set to ease some of its rules during the 21-day lockdown in order to facilitate the return of these migrants and ensure they get food and shelter.
Senior government officials, who are familiar with the matter, have said provisions will either be made to provide safe transport to these daily-wage labourers, or government shelters will be set up for them.
The Centre has been in touch with chief secretaries of several states to resolve the issue, and feedback has also been sought from the state transport departments.
Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, a member of Parliament from Bihar, said that discussions were on at the highest level of government about how to help these men and women.
“The government is alive to their situation. I also appeal to all civil society members to rise up and make provisions for such people,’’ Prasad said while speaking to HT.
On Thursday, the Centre announced an economic stimulus package of Rs 170,000 crore to address the immediate economic distress in the wake of the lockdown prompted by the Covid-19, coronavirus disease, pandemic.
The primary beneficiaries of these measures include those below the poverty line, farmers, women, elderly citizens, the physically challenged, construction workers, and workers in both the unorganised and organised sectors.
The series of measures announced focused on additional food transfers at no cost, cash for vulnerable segments, concessions on government schemes aimed to help households reduce their expenditure, and support those on the frontline of the battle against the pandemic.
