Day 1: Over 3,600 of Punjab’s migrant workers register to go home

Sanjeev Verma | TNN | May 2, 2020, 06:11 IST

Representative Image

CHANDIGARH: As the central government is requisitioning trains to ferry migrant labourers to their home states, the Punjab government's records reveal there are around 5.76 lakh migrant workers in 22 districts of the state.
Over 3,600 came forward till Friday evening after the state government on Thursday directed all the deputy commissioners to collect details of migrant workers who want to return to their homes. They belong to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and some other states. These details would be collected till May 3 and the outward movement of migrant workers is expected to start after May 5. The chief minister, Captain Amarinder Singh has urged PM Narendra Modi to provide trains to ferry willing these workers to their respective states.

The DCs have to ensure that all the migrant workers, who want to return to their respective states, are medically examined before they are allowed to board trains or other means of transport.
Ludhiana district has most migrant workers in Punjab
Though these migrant workers are being facilitated to return to their home states, farmers in Punjab are a worried lot keeping in view the paddy sowing season which starts in June. Punjab is largely dependent on migrant labourers for sowing and harvesting crops.
The estimated details on the number of migrant workers in 22 districts of Punjab have been collected through field officers and the state government has not carried out any specific survey for these details. Ludhiana district, home to maximum industries in the state, has maximum number of around 3.02 lakh migrant workers in the state, followed by around 45,000 in Sangrur and 39,500 in Mohali.
VK Janjua, principal secretary of labour department, said to accommodate such migrant workers, the state government has converted schools and community halls into shelter homes. “There are 151 shelter homes but these shelter homes are just accommodating around 2,000 migrant labourers,” said Janjua.
He added that most migrant workers are residing in colonies or huts in various districts. Over 100 relief camps have also been established by various NGOs across the state where food is being provided to these workers.