Shah supports migrant workers after four days of lockdown

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that his government is committed to provide all support to migrant workers during the lockdown period. Shah reviewed the country's preparedness to contain the spread of Covid-19 with senior officials of the home ministry, ministry of civil aviation, ministry of health and among others.

New Delhi:Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the central government has committed all support to migrant workers during the 21-day lockdown announced to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

The home ministry has also asked states and union territories to immediately set up relief camps for migrant workers, pilgrims, among others, who are returning to their domicile states or trying to do so during the nationwide lockdown period.

"As per the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has committed all support to migrant workers during the lockdown period," Shah said while reviewing the country's preparedness to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The lockdown came into effect on Wednesday.

Shah has authorised states to use state disaster response funds for relief measures for migrant workers during the lockdown, according to a home ministry statement.

With the intent of the Modi government to provide all possible support to migrant workers, the Union home secretary has "again written to all states requesting them to immediately set up relief camps for migrant workers, pilgrims etc., who are returning to their domicile states or trying to do so during this lockdown period".

States have been advised to give wide publicity and create awareness, using public address systems and utilising services of volunteers and NGOs, on the facilities being offered to migrant workers, the home ministry statement said.

The information that is to be given includes location of the relief camps and the facilities being made available, relief package under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana and measures being taken by state governments.

States have been also advised to set up relief camps along highways for people, including tented accommodation to ensure that these persons stay in the camps till the lockdown orders are in place.

The shelters are to be organised, keeping in view various precautions including social distancing, with adequate medical check-up drives to identify and separate cases requiring quarantine or hospitalisation.

The home ministry has also authorised all states to use the state disaster response fund for providing such relief measures.

These measures would further strengthen them to deal with this issue, the statement said.

A large number of migrant workers have left the work places cues in different parts of the country in the last few days and are walking down to their native places, hundreds of kilometres away facing hardships on the way.

The migrant workers have no option but to walk as there is no transport available after the announcement of the nationwide lockdown by Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday.

Seeing their plight, some state governments have made arrangements for their transport, accommodation and food of late.