MHA asks states to provide food, shelter to migrant workers; ensure they board special trains

The Centre on Friday asked states and union territories to provide food and shelter to migrant workers if they are found walking on roads and railways tracks, and ensure they board special trains to reach their native places.

In a letter to all state governments and union territory administrations, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said movement of migrant workers on roads, railway tracks and in trucks is still being noticed in different parts of the country.

States and union territories were advised earlier that if migrant workers are found to be walking, they should be appropriately counselled, taken to nearby shelters and provided food and water till such time they are facilitated to board the Shramik Special trains or buses to their native places, he said.

Bhalla said the government has already allowed the movement of migrant workers by buses and Shramik Special trains to enable them to travel to their home states.

"It is now the responsibility of all states and union territories to ensure that movement of stranded migrant workers who are willing to go to their home states is facilitated," he said.

"States/UTs should widely disseminate the arrangements for travel in special buses/ 'Shramik' special trains amongst the migrant workers and persuade/ counsel them that they should not be walking when they can travel in buses/ trains," the letter said.

The home secretary said with the cooperation of states and union territories, the Ministry of Railways is running more than 100 Shramik Special trains per day and is ready to arrange additional trains as per their requirement.

"Therefore, I urge you to ensure that there is no movement of migrant workers walking on roads and railway tracks and the same is facilitated through special buses or Shramik Special trains," he said.