RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh has so far evacuated about 22,000 of its residents stranded in other states from 15 special trains till Monday, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, labour minister and government spokesperson Dr Shivkumar Dahariya said.
Cabinet Minister Dr Shivkumar Dahariya revealed that necessary amount for travelling expenses of the workers is already being paid by the Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board, to various railway boards for special trains to bring the migrant workers back to Chhattisgarh. At present, an amount of one crore 99 lakh 58 thousand 360 rupees has been paid to bring back 34 thousand 284 passengers by 23 trains. .
Apart from this, the state government is providing some relief to the migrant workers and other people who are reaching the borders of Chhattisgarh. State Government has arranged the facility of free breakfast, food, health tests and transportation for all those workers who are passing through the state border. State administration is also helping the migrant labourers by arranging free bus services for all the workers who want to return their home state.
The minister also informed that the state so far 2 lakh 73 thousand 935 stranded migrant workers and labour has returned to their home state Chhattisgarh. These all migrants used state government issued link for registration of their returning. He further added that the state government has given consent for 45 special trains to bring back the stranded workers. Apart from state govt. Efforts, the building and other construction workers welfare board had also contributed the amount of 2 crores for 23 different trains to bring 34,284 workers to Chhattisgarh.
So far, around 22 thousand migrant workers have brought back to their home state through 15 trains. And about 83 thousand 172 workers returned to Chhattisgarh by their vehicles and by other means of transportation. On the other hand, Chhattisgarh has succeeded to send more than 30 thousand workers to their home states who got trapped in Chhattisgarh due to lockdown. In addition, more than 11 thousand workers have been moved from one district to their home district within Chhattisgarh.