The Citizens’ Action Group on Corona has sought hassle-free repatriation of stranded migrant workers in different parts of the country to Odisha.
Notably, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on April 19 has issued an order that lifted some restrictions on intra-State movement of stranded migrant workers, but kept the restrictions on inter-State movement unchanged. Also Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced that the State Government was initiating a process of registering workers from the State who are stranded outside and want to come back.
The forum said despite all this, there is little progress with respect to facilitating the return of stranded migrant workers to their native places. In fact, by reinforcing the ban on inter-State movement of the workers, the MHA has heightened the trauma and sense of uncertainty among millions of these suffering workers and their families.
It demanded constitution of a National Task Force that should be set up on priority to work with States, design and execute a plan for the return migrant workers.
It urged the Union Government as also the Governments of all States to desist from any action that might amount to forceful or invluntary confinement of these workers.
While welcoming the initiative taken by Chief Minister Patnaik to start enlisting migrant workers from the State who want to return home, it sought more clarity on this, especially with respect to a timeline for the return of the workers, the modalities of their return and, most importantly, their economic rehabilitation.
CM Patnaik should consider an immediate cash transfer of Rs 3,000 to each stranded worker, over and above the Rs 2,000 that he/she would get after returning home, it said.