Over 1 crore migrant workers returned to home states since end-March

A total of 1.04 crore migrant workers returned to their home states since nation-wide lockdown was first imposed from March 25 to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Parliament was informed on Monday.

Replying to a written question in the Lok Sabha on Monday on the migrant workers, perhaps the worst hit in the pandemic, labour minister Santosh Gangwar, however, said the government has not done any assessment on the job loss among the migrant workers due to the pandemic.

Also, it does not have any data on the number of migrant workers who lost their lives during their return journey and as such “question does not arise” on providing any compensation to the victim’s family.

“The Indian Railway has operated more than 4,611 Shramik Special Trains for convenience of the workers. More than 63.07 lakh migrant workers have been shifted to various destinations located in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and other states,” the minister said, adding that they were provided with food and water free of cost during their journey.

The minister’s answer, however, did not make it clear what mode of transport others used to go back to their respective states.

Of the total returnee migrant workers, 32.5 lakh returned to Uttar Pradesh followed by 15 lakh to Bihar, 14 lakh to West Bengal and 13 lakh to Rajasthan, among others.