Supreme Court orders India’s states to ‘send stranded migrants to their homes in 15 days’

NEW DELHI, Jun 9, 2020, DNA India. All migrant workers are to be identified and transported back to their home towns within 15 days, the Supreme Court ordered all states today, adding that all cases registered against the migrants for allegedly violating the lockdown orders are to be considered for withdrawal under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, DNA India reported.

“Centre and states have to prepare a list for the identification of migrant workers in a streamlined manner. Employment relief should be mapped out and skill-mapping is to be carried out to the migrant labourers,” the Supreme Court said in its order.

The Court also ordered the Indian Railways to provide ‘Shramik Special’ trains in the event of demand of such, for the purpose of transporting the migrants back to their home towns.

Moreover, states were also directed to provide all schemes to the migrant workers and publicise them. “Help desks are to be established to help migrants avail employment opportunities,” the Court ordered.

.Earlier, the Supreme Court had taken suo moto cognizance of the migrant crisis that has been plaguing India ever since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-necessitated nationwide lockdown was imposed across the country on March 24. The Court, while taking the matter into its own hands, had observed that there were “inadequacies and certain lapses” in the measures taken by the governments for migrant welfare.

The case will again be listed on July 8 to take stock of the situation’s progress, whereby all the states will have to submit their detailed affidavits on schemes, job creation, etc.