COVID-19 Lockdown: States Step In As Migrant Labourers Begin Long March Home

Migrant workers across the country have been stranded in various cities of the country ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown on Tuesday night. Heart-breaking videos on electronic and social media of migrant workers forced to walk home forced to cover hundreds of kilometres have spurred some state governments into action.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed states where migrant labourers are stranded to take care of them.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote to his counterparts in various states seeking their help in this time of crisis while the whole nation was battling an invisible enemy. Patnaik appealed to the chief ministers across the country to provide, food, shelter and security to stranded migrant workers, pilgrims, students and professionals from his state and to pass the message to all district collectors in their states.

The Odisha chief minister stated that the state government monitoring team would be tracking migrant labourers from Odisha. He appealed to state governments wherever migrant workers from his state found themselves stranded to assist them by providing them with food, shelter and security.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a series of measures to help migrant workers stranded in other states. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar responded to the crisis of migrant labourers from his state with an Rs. 100 crore package. He also appealed to other state governments to take care of migrant labourers from Bihar stranded across the country.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced the setting up of a helpline for migrant labourers from his state stranded in different parts of the country.