Bihar govt to bring back all migrant labourers stranded outside: Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday asserted that all migrant labourers who are stranded outside will be brought back to the state.

Kumar assured the migrant labourers not to get panicky, have patience and remain safe as the state government is taking every possible measures at its disposal to bring them to the state, an official release said.

The chief minister directed chief secretary Deepak Kumar to write a letter to the central government that the railways should prepare a protocol for ticket booking so that migrant labourers willing to come to Bihar are able to know the date of their departure journey in advance.

 

It will create a sense of satisfaction among them (migrant labourers) and will not create any kind of anxiety or apprehension or discontent restlessness with regard to their return to the home state, the chief minister said.

Kumar directed all the departments to work seriously to increase the employment opportunities for migrant labourers.

He asked officials to prepare and keep a proper database of all the relief and assistance being provided to the people in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

People need to understand the seriousness of COVID-19, he said while appealing to people to have patience and maintain social distancing norms.

The chief minister, on earlier occasions, had also asked his officials to make all arrangements to bring back migrant labourers from other states at the earliest.

He had directed them to coordinate with all other states and the railways to take necessary measures to ensure their smooth return.

People, who reach railway station or at the states borders, are being sent to their destinations by trains and buses, he had said while making an appeal to them not to travel on foot to reach their destinations.

Kumar asked them to inform their nearest block or police station so that they can be sent to their destination by vehicles.