HC seeks clarification from state on payment of travel and medical report costs of migrants

The Bombay high court (HC) on Tuesday directed the state government to clarify who will be bearing the 15% cost of travel of migrant workers to their hometowns,

The Bombay high court (HC) on Tuesday directed the state government to clarify who will be bearing the 15% cost of travel of migrant workers to their hometowns, as the Centre has undertaken to bear 85% of the cost. The directions were prompted after the petitioner said that there was no clarity in the tri-party state government on who would pay the amount. The petitioner also sought directions to the state to bear the cost of medical screening of migrant workers before they can embark on their journey back home.

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The single bench of justice S C Gupte, while hearing public interest litigations (PILs) filed by NGO Ghar Bachao, Ghar Banao through video conferencing, was informed by advocates Kranti L C and Ronita Bhattacharya that after the state wing of the Congress party had said that it would bear the transportation cost of migrant workers, the Centre had clarified that it would bear 85% while 15% would have to be borne by the state. However, as the Congress was a stakeholder in the state government, there was no clarity as to who would pay and hence the state should be asked to clarify.

The advocates for the NGO also submitted that as migrant workers who want to go home need a medical certificate, the cost of the same should also be borne by the state government.