After MHA order, Rajasthan government starts sending migrant workers home
A day after the Ministry of Home Affairs allowed the movement of migrant workers, the Rajasthan government started sending them to their home states. As per reports, 40,000 have been sent to their homes by afternoon. Most of them belong to neighboring Madhya Pradesh and Haryana. In total, six lakh migrant workers have asked Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to help them get home.
Hit by lockdown, migrant workers started walking home
The nationwide lockdown imposed to keep a check on the spread of coronavirus, started on March 25 for 21 days. It was extended on April 14 for another 19 days. These restrictions wreaked havoc on migrant workers, who were left unemployed and hungry. Left with no other option, they started walking thousands of kilometers, some drawing their last breaths on the journey.
MHA allowed stranded persons to return home, but with conditions
Yesterday, the Ministry of Home Affairs released new guidelines about migrant workers, students, tourists, and others who are stranded in faraway places. The Ministry said all states must designate nodal authorities and detail standard protocol for sending and receiving such stranded persons. While permitting only buses to travel, MHA said stranded persons will be allowed to travel if they are found asymptomatic upon screening.
Thousands have been sent home; more in line
According to NDTV, 26,000 people have been sent to the Madhya Pradesh border, while another 2,000 were transported to the Haryana border from western areas of Rajasthan. The government undertook a similar exercise at Dungarpur and Sirohi, places that are close to Gujarat. Further, 500 people who live in Rajasthan but migrated due to work, were also provided services to return home.
Senior government officials are overlooking this mammoth exercise
Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary of Rajasthan are in touch with the home states of these workers. "Migrants register online with Rajasthan government for phased movement. Those in shelter homes will move first," an official said. Earlier, the Rajasthan government demanded that trains are arranged but the Centre, run by BJP, junked the idea. In MHA order, only buses were allowed to move.
Rajasthan also took steps to bring its natives home
This week, the state government also took steps to facilitate return of its migrant workers. A helpline number, 18001806127, e-Mitra Rajasthan portal, e-Mitra mobile app, or e-Mitra kiosk were set up for workers to register themselves. The service was opened on April 27 and within two hours, 29,000 migrant workers registered themselves. But the government asked them to stay put until asked otherwise.
