Migrants data given by states to SC and Centre don't match

NEW DELHI: There is wide divergence in migrants-related information that state governments have submitted in Supreme Court and the data that they have shared with the Union labour ministry, the nodal ministry keeping data on migrant workers.
Even though solicitor general Tushar Mehta told the court close to one crore migrants had returned home on trains and by road until June 3, the labour ministry, on June 2, released migrant data for about only 26.17 lakh migrants from across states.
Uttar Pradesh, for instance, in its detailed response to the apex court's May 28 order, told Supreme Court that 25 lakh workers have "successfully and safely returned to their homes in the state". In contrast, on June 2, the labour ministry's state-wise migrants information - released following a rap by the Central Information Commission (CIC) - indicated that UP had 36,421 migrant workers and 4,019 shelter homes and relief camps. UP also claimed it has " no migrant left in the state of Uttar Pradesh" and that all incoming workers were sent for 15 days home quarantine, given one ration kit and Rs 1,000 in cash. It also said several institutions have proposed to provide jobs to 11 lakh migrants in their industrial units.
Bihar, which supplied information about only 7,719 migrant workers to the labour ministry at the start of June, told SC that 28 lakh migrants have returned to Bihar by train and road transport.
Rajasthan submitted in court that about 13.6 lakh migrant labourers returned to the state, but reported only 92,883 to the labour ministry, while Gujarat claimed it has sent 20 lakh migrant workers and paid them Rs 1,000 each, but informed the labour ministry about only 47,566 migrants and 8,182 shelter homes and relief camps.
Maharashtra, though ranked third in posting the maximum information to the nodal ministry, told court it sent home 12 lakh migrant workers, but submitted information of only 3.82 lakh migrants.
Similarly, Delhi said it sent back 3 lakh migrants but reported the presence of only 20,783, while West Bengal said it was waiting to "receive" 6.82 lakh migrants. In its submission to the ministry, Bengal had said it had 1,867 migrants and 16 shelter homes and relief camps.
Kerala and Karnataka are the only two states that appear to not have under reported the number of migrants .
Despite the CIC's prodding, data on migrants' has not been updated since June 2. On Monday, the chief labour commissioner issued a clarification that the data was based on information supplied by concerned states and UTs.