Railways to pay 85% of train fare for workers, says govt after controversy

The Indian Railways will bear 85 per cent of the train fare of migrant workers and the rest will be paid by their states, said the government on Monday after a controversy over people stranded in the lockdown being asked to pay for being taken home.

Lav Agarwal, joint secretary in the health ministry, gave a clarification after the Congress party offered to pay for the train tickets of migrant workers.

"We have given the permission to run special trains on states' request. We are dividing the cost in 85-15 per cent (railway: states) as per the norms. We never asked states