Reason behind Centre's decision to send back migrants amid lockdown
Apr 30, 2020
By Kumar Gaurav
New Delhi [India], April 30 : The Centre took the decision to send the migrants back to their homes after receiving feedback from several business giants and other intellectuals. Ever since the coronavirus started to wreak havoc in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given the responsibility to the central minister to monitor the situation of each State and report daily in this regard till 4 pm to the Prime Minister's Office.
This work is going on continuously and based on its feedback, Centre is taking various decisions.
This trend has been going on for a long time and according to sources, most of the demands in the feedback collected by the ministers were to send the migrant labourers back to their states.
During the feedback, apart from many well-known people, many business giants, mandi group people and others had said that even quarantine period is for 14 days but the migrants have been stranded for 28 days and it is very difficult for them to stay away from home at this time.
Based on this feedback, the government on Wednesday decided to allow the workers to go back to their home state.
According to sources, ministers received feedback from across the country, 80 per cent of the people even if they are from the opposition are constantly praising the decisions of Prime Minister Modi. Besides this, several Intellectual people are also happy with the Centre's decisions.
Earlier on Wednesday, giving a huge relief to people stuck in various states, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) allowed movement of such people - including migrant labourers, workers, students, tourists and others - and also provided the procedure for the same.
Similarly, all the ministers received letters on Wednesday in which, for BJP and NDA ruled States, responsibility has been given to the respective State ministers to take feedback from people across 12 levels including Padma awardees, heads of farmers' bodies, heads of business organisations, transporters, intellectuals, political party leaders, opposition party leaders, journalists, former officials, Anganwadi people among others.
The ministers were directed to hold discussions with them regarding the decisions being taken over the steps taken by the government, preparations amid COVID-19 crisis and their suggestions. The ministers have been asked to submit a detailed report regarding it.
The ministers were directed to not take any information from any official person they hold discussion with, in writing.
After the announcement of the first phase of lockdown, the Prime Minister gave the responsibility to the ministers to take stock of the situation on the ground, in order to maintain the coordination between the States and Centre to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The ministers, who were given the responsibility to keep a check on the steps taken to run community kitchens for the needy, assessing the preparedness in hospitals and the availability of essential items and personal protective equipment like masks and sanitizers, were authorized to provide the feedback.
The nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 25 to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which was to end on April 14, is now slated to end on May 3.
