'Kerala economy struggling, cannot pay for return of migrant workers': State govt tells SC

Ahe of hearing before Supreme Court on Friday on issue concerning plight of stranded migrants across country, government of Kerala filed an affidavit before Supreme Court giving details of steps being taken by m to deal with crisis at hand. government told Supreme Court that migrant worker from Kerala was being charged any cost or fee to travel by rail or ro.

“Kerala has been handling issues in connection with guest workers till w well. re is case of loss of life or any or untoward incidents as are being reported in many or States. Kerala model of migrant manment has been come for praise from different quarters,” state told Supreme Court.

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Setbacks to Kerala's ecomy

It went on to say, however, that Kerala’s ecomy h faced a number of setbacks over last three years. state was hit by cyclone “Okhi” in 2017 and faced floods in 2018 and 2019. Amidst this, due to ecomic crisis in Gulf countries (which are considered as backbone of Kerala’s ecomy), people ousted from re returned back to Kerala. In dition to all this, COVID and lockdown have “devastated ecomy of State and situation is absolutely an impasse”, Government stated.

In submission me before court, Kerala Government also informed Supreme Court that, at a point like this, states have t reached any agreement on sharing of costs arising out of travel being arranged for stranded migrant labourers. government says, that Supreme Court h earlier decided that costs for migrant labourers to be sent back to ir home states will be borne by originating state and receiving state, “but such internal arrangements have been me between respective States”.

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state is doing its utmost to man issue of migrant labourers, Kerala government said, even though state has availed loans at a high rate for wriggling out of this tumultuous situation. “Pooling of costs will absolutely affect pecuniary balance,” Kerala said. “ ecomic status of each State would definitely differ. Some states may have money to deal with situation, but some or states will struggle for money”, Kerala said.

In light of se submissions, Kerala government asked Supreme Court to reconsider its earlier order asking states to share cost for travel of migrants or direct Union Government to take care of complete cost of return of migrant labourers.

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