1.5 lakh migrant workers want to return to Haryana: Home Minister Vij

In a bright sign for resumption of economic activities amid Covid-led lockdown across country, migrant workers, who left various states for ir native places amid shutdown, have begun expressing willingness to return to work, indicate developments in Haryana.

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Saturday said over 1.5 lakh migrant workers have applied on government portal, expressing ir willingness to return back to work in state.

Vij said most of se 1.5 lakh workers, who have registered mselves to return, belong to Bihar, Uttar Presh and Mhya Presh. He also said on same portal nearly 8 lakh migrant workers, however, have registered mselves for leaving state.

“Nearly 1.5 lakh migrant workers want to return to Haryana while 8 lakh of m have registered mselves for leaving state for ir native states,” Vij said.

“Most of 1.5 lakh who want to come back are from Bihar, UP and MP. y want to come here as commercial activities have started and y are hopeful that y can find a job,” he said.

Asked how Haryana can facilitate those migrants willing to come back during lockdown, Vij said, “We are talking to states to which y belong.”

Most of migrants who want to return have applied to come to industrial towns of Gurgaon, Sonipat, Jhajjar, Rewari, Faridab and Panipat, said officials.

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y said that most of se who have applied to return may have left before lockdown or during its initial few days.

Asked if resumption of state’s industry and economic activities would not be affected due to more workers seeking to leave state and than those willing to return, Vij said, “We and rest of country and world is facing a situation that we are bound to face some difficulties."

“But we cannot stop those migrant workers who want to go back with ir states too being rey to have m back. We can only persue se workers and we are alrey doing that. We are seeking to assure m that Haryana government will take care of all ir needs, but we cannot force m to stay back,” he said.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar h on Wednesday reiterated his appeal to migrant workers not to leave state and inste start working in manufacturing units which have been allowed to resume operations, saying coronavirus situation in state was much better.

He h said migrants must compare situation in ir native places with that in Haryana before taking a decision.

chief minister, however, h said if anyone still wanted to leave, state government has alrey me arrangements for ir return as per Centre's guidelines.

On Wednesday, first special train from Hisar carrying 1,200 migrant workers left for Katihar in Bihar.

More such migrants wanting to go back will be sent back within next seven days through 5,000 buses and 100 trains, with state government being rey to bear entire cost of ir transportation.

As many as 23,452 migrant labourers have so far been sent to ir home states free of cost by various trains and buses arranged by state government during past three days, a statement h said here on Friday.

Meanwhile, Vij said 66 persons from Haryana were among stranded Indians, who were brought back home on Friday as part of Centre’s mega repatriation mission Vande Bharat.

“As many as 66 persons from Haryana returned from abro and y have been quarantined in a facility in Gurgaon,” he said. 

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