VIJAYAWADA: The State government will bear the cost of shifting stranded labourers to their hometowns, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said on Wednesday, adding that people headed to their native places will also be given Rs 500 as a goodwill gesture to cover their expenses on the trip.

He further told officials to be kind and generous to the migrant workers. “Arrange shelters for migrants from other states who are stranded here and give them food and other supplies. Help them get jobs at industries in the state,” he said. If they want to return home, make arrangements for the same, he added.
As for migrants from AP who are stranded in other states, Jagan said that if those states do not send them home, the AP government will take the initiative to bring them back.

He also told officials to ensure people travelling for medical emergencies are not hindered. So far, about 1,000 people have arrived from Thane, and are being tested for coronavirus in Guntakal. As a precautionary step, nine border checkpoints have been set up. Officials expect about 1.5 lakh people to return to the state from abroad. These people will be screened after they land in the Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati airports.

Meanwhile, the State government on Wednesday issued guidelines for inter-state movement of migrant workers. As per these norms, the government will transport migrant workers who are in distress, such as agriculture labourers who want to go to their native states, and those who want to return to Andhra Pradesh. “The facilitation is meant for distressed persons who moved from their native places just before the lockdown but could not return to their native places or workplaces due to restrictions,” the Government Order read.

The government and NGOs will bear the cost of transporting people from other states who are stranded in relief camps. They will also be given food, in consultation with the IRCTC and as per the Railways ministry’s norms,” the guidelines said. If a relief centre doesn’t have enough people to require a train, permission may be given for them to travel by a bus or other vehicles, as long as permission is received from the state receiving them. However, in such instances of bus travel, the cost will have to be borne by the migrant workers or the recipient state. 

Migrants to get bus option

Migrant labourers staying away from relief camps or industrial sites can get permission to travel on the same train as other migrant labourers. “However, they have to make their own arrangements to reach the identified railway station and onward journey by train to the destination. These people need to be identified by the district authorities in advance and permission letter to be given to facilitate their journey to identified railway station.

If required, buses can be arranged by APSRTC on chargeable basis point to point charge of that category bus only. No person without the authorisation from district administration shall be allowed to board the train,” read the order. As for migrants arriving from other States on Shramik trains, district Collectors may engage APSRTC buses to transport them from railway stations to medical screening centres and further to their districts free of cost.

The state government has also decided not to allow individuals or families without specific permission from the State Control Room or DGP Control Room. “Such people will be allowed to travel only under severe emergency situations such as death in family, marriage, pregnancy-related issues and health problems. However, the permissions will be restricted to only 10 members per group. Government staff moving on duty and employees of private organisations will also be allowed on production of authorisation letter from the employer,’’ the order read.

Meant for those in distress

• The facility is for people who moved just before the lockdown and could not return home
• If a relief centre doesn’t have enough people for a train, they will get permis-sion to travel by bus
• However, either the migrants or the recipient state will have to bear the transportation cost