Prithviraj Chavan: ‘Both Centre and Maharashtra govt. failed to deal with migrant crisis’

Pune: Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday said that the Centre, as well as the state government, have 'completely failed' to deal with the migrant labourers' crisis amid the COVID-induced lockdown.

Addressing a press conference through an online platform, Chavan said there is a need to bring the economy on the track and 'enormous' changes are needed to be brought in the health sector as it had gotten completely neglected in the past.

Chavan also expressed his disappointment over the announcements made by the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in terms of Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced.

"The main challenge we have is how to bring the economy back on the track. How to make the wheels of the economy spin again. I welcomed the stimulus package announced by the central government but after listening to the announcements made by the finance minister, I got disappointed," he added.

He added that if the economy needs to be brought back on the track, the government has to increase the people's spending capacity. 

Unfortunately, in the package, there is little emphasis on spending.

Talking about the exodus of the migrant labourers from the state, he said these people are facing severe hardships and going by their statements, it is clear that they would not like to come back.

"I think there was a big mistake on the part of the Centre as well as the state government as the way we are treating the migrant workers. It was our responsibility to send the migrant workers back to their states and we have failed completely," he said, adding that money should be spent on the arrangements to send these labours back to their homes.

Chavan said that there is a need to create dedicated accommodation facilities for the labourers.

He added that since the country is receiving aid from the global financial institutions, it needs to be spent on the health sector and strengthen the sector.