Center directs states, UTs to ensure migrants’ welfare during lockdown

Our Reporter
Dimapur, Mar. 29 (EMN): The ministry of Home Affairs has on Sunday issued directives to the state and Union Territory governments to ensure more effective implementation of the lockdown measures and also to mitigate the economic hardship of migrant workers.

The order came after reports about the movement of large numbers of migrants in some parts of the country returning to their home towns.

‘This is a violation of the lockdown measures on maintaining social distance,’ a notice from the ministry stated.

Additional steps and measures issued to the state and Union Territory governments:

1. Ensure adequate arrangements for temporary shelter, provision of food etc., for the poor and needy including migrant workers stranded due to the nationwide lockdown.

2. Keep migrant workers, who have moved out, at the nearest shelter by the respective state and Union Territory governments’ quarantine facilities after proper screening for a minimum period of 14 days in accordance with standard health protocols.

3. Employers be it industry, shops and commercial establishments, shall make payment of wages to their workers at their workplaces on the due date without any deduction for the period the establishments are in closure during the lockdown.

4. Landlords of houses where workers including migrants are living shall not demand payment of rent for a period of one month.

The notice added that if any landlord forces labourers and students to vacate their premises, the landlords will be liable for action.

The central government directed the state and Union Territory governments to take necessary action in case of any violation of the stated directives.