INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Responding to a question, Union minister Santosh Gangwar said the Central government has taken numerous measures to
provide migrant labourers with financial assistance, food packages and other benefits
File
image of migrant workers walking home during the coronavirus lockdown
AP
New Delhi: The government does not have data regarding the number of migrants who died or were injured during
migration to their native places due to the lockdown, Union minister Santosh Gangwar told the Lok Sabha on Monday."No such data is
available," the Labour Minister said in a written reply.The response was to Biju Janata Dal (BJD) member Bhartruhari Mahtabs question on the
"the number of such labourers died/ injured during migration to their native places due to such lockdown, State/ UT-wise".A nationwide
lockdown was imposed on 25 March to contain the spread of the coronavirus infections
There was an exodus of a large number of migrant workers to their native places from different parts of the country during the lockdown
The lockdown restrictions were eased from late May.Mahtab also asked whether the government has taken adequate measures to safeguard social,
economic, legal and health rights of migrant labourers before implementing lockdown in the country due to COVID-19."India, as a nation, has
responded through the Central government, state governments, local bodies, self-help groups, resident welfare associations, medical health
professionals, sanitation workers as well as large number of genuine and bonafide non-governmental organizations in the nations fight
against the unprecedented human crisis due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and country-wide lockdown," the minister said in his reply.In order
to mitigate the financial crisis of migrant workers and protect them against the economic disruptions due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and
the country-wide lockdown, the Central government has taken numerous measures to provide them financial assistance, food packages and other
benefits, the minister said.
