Over 21 lakh migrant labourers have returned to Uttar Pradesh: Official

More than 21 lakh migrant labourers have returned to Uttar Pradesh from different parts of country on over 1,500 special trains so far, a senior state government official said on Saturday.

Indian Railways started Shramik Special trains on May 1 to facilitate movement of migrant labourers back to ir home states during coronavirus-induced nationwide lockdown.

"So far, over 21 lakh migrant labourers have come back to state on as many as 1,550 trains. maximum number of trains -- 257 -- has arrived in Gorakhpur on which 3.31 lakh migrant labourers returned," Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Information) Awanish Awasthi said.

He said 109 trains arrived in Luckw, 125 in Jaunpur, 111 in Varanasi and 99 in Deoria.

Awasthi said maximum number of trains (520) arrived from Gujarat, followed by Maharashtra (398) and Punjab (233).

" chief minister has directed that food and water should be arranged for migrant labourers who are returning from various states. y should be taken to quarantine centres," he said.

"During medical screening, labourers, if found fit, should be provided with ration kits. Those who are found to be medically unfit should be sent for treatment," he said.

lockdown has had a devastating impact on ecomy as well as on livelihoods of lakhs of migrant labourers. With money to buy food or pay rent, labourers across country have been returning to ir native places.