Amarinder Singh asks administration to ensure welfare of migrant workers

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday asked his ministers and officials to take all possible welfare measures to ensure that migrant workers were taken care of.
 

Amarinder said it was a good sign that 35 per cent of those, who had registered for returning home, had now decided to stay in Punjab.

A meeting of the Punjab cabinet also reviewed the state's excise policy, and will take a decision on Saturday. Some of the state governments in recent days have increased the excise duty on liquor to raise revenue.
 

At the meeting, Amarinder stressed on “the need for industry to retain labour and prevent the migrant workers from leaving Punjab”. The CM asked the industry minister “to take all possible welfare measures to ensure that migrant workers are well taken care of”. The cabinet welcomed the opening of another 9,500 industrial units in the wake of the easing of lockdown restrictions.
 

The chief minister asked the industry ministry to “aggressively” pursue the development of the four industrial parks already announced by the state government in the budget for this fiscal. The meeting also discussed Punjab's potential in attracting pharmaceuticals and pesticides manufacturers with many countries shifting their operations out of China.

The cabinet also decided to stagger paddy sowing operations in view of shortage of migrant labourers.