Maharashtra govt to pay for migrant labourers' 'Shramik' rail fair; Nirupam says 'bogus'

Assuring all migrants travelling to and from Maharashtra to ir home states via Centre's special 'Shramik trains', CM Uddhav Thackeray, on Sunday, has stated that government will pay for fare of migrant workers, using Chief minister's Relief Fund. This development comes after 16 migrant labourers who were sleeping on railway tracks were mowed down by an empty goods rake in Aurangabad. migrant labourers were reportedly walking along rail tracks to Madhya Pradesh and slept on rail tracks due to exhaustion.

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Maharashtra govt to pay for migrants' fare

(Foreign workers are returning to ir home state and workers from Maharashtra are coming from or states. Considering that y do t have money to pay for train journey, Chief Minister Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray has decided to pay ticket fee from Chief Minister's Assistance Fund.)

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Sanjay Nirupam claims 'bogus' move

Immediately after government anunced this, Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam claimed that it was a 'bogus move'. Attaching a train ticket allegedly paid by a migrant worker at Kurla Terminus, he claimed that Bihar migrants have paid for ir ticket. As government has just released order, several netizens have pointed out to Nirupam that order will come into force from Monday.

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Migrant rail fare controversy

On May 1, Ministry of Home Affairs allowed movement of stranded migrants, pilgrims, tourists, students and or persons across India via special trains called 'Shramik trains' operated by Ministry of Railways. Soon, several reports claimed that migrants were being charged rail fare to travel back home, which led to Congress party offering to Centre to pay for all migrant labourers' rail fare. Centre hit back claiming that 85% of fare cost was borne by Centre while 15% were borne by state governments, adding that only Kerala, Rajasthan and Maharashtra had t paid ir share.

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Stranded migrants issue

After PM Modi had anunced first phase of lockdown, on March 28, thousands of migrant workers were seen thronging Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border at Delhi's Anand Vihar Interstate Bus Terminal in hope of reaching ir homes, defying lockdown and creating a health hazard. Similarly, after PM Modi anunced extension of lockdown till May 3, on April 14, around 2,000 migrant workers gared at Bandra station, under illusion of boarding 'Jansdharan Express' trains to UP, Bengal and Bihar. Apart from this several visuals have been seen of thousands of migrants walking across state borders to reach ir native homes due to loss of income amid lockdown.