India News | Punjab Plans to Write to Centre to Arrange Trains to Bring Migrant Workers Back
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. With increasing number of industrial units resuming operations in Punjab, the government is planning to write to the Centre to arrange trains for bringing migrants who wish to come back from their home states and start working.
Chandigarh, May 29 (PTI) With increasing number of industrial units resuming operations in Punjab, the government is planning to write to the Centre to arrange trains for bringing migrants who wish to come back from their home states and start working.
Work at industries had come to a standstill after the central government imposed a nationwide lockdown on March 25 to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Several migrant workers returned to their homes states through various means, including on special trains being run by the railways.
Punjab Industry Minister Sunder Sham Arora on Friday said in addition to the large number of workers who had chosen to stay back in Punjab, there were many who wanted to come back as an increasing number of industrial units are opening up.
The Punjab government is planning to write to the Centre to arrange for trains to bring back such migrant labourers keen to come back from other states to Punjab, said the minister in an official release here.
A total of 4.84 lakh migrant workers so far have returned to their native places in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and other states through 375 special trains.
With 78 per cent of the industry already resuming operations and 68 per cent of the migrant labour choosing to stay back in the state, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, separately in another event, directed the industry department to expedite the process of providing clearances and ensuring further ease of business to bring the industry back on track at the earliest.
Thanking the industry for supporting the government in ensuring that migrant labourers in the state faced no problems, Arora in the official release also promised all possible measures to ensure smooth reopening of the industry.
While interacting with industry stalwarts at a video conference on 'Action plan to revive Punjab's economy post the COVID-19 lockdown', Singh assured the industry of his government's full support to ensure 100 per cent operationalisation over the next few days.
He also pointed to the huge opportunity they had to grow in view of the increasing number of companies looking to shift from China. Singh said his government is already in touch with several countries to invite them to invest and set up industrial units in Punjab.
The chief minister said he is confident that the state would be able to attract a lot of industry from China.
Promising to take the industry's suggestions into account to facilitate revival of the state's economy post the COVID-19 lockdown, he underscored the role being played by the industry in the development of Punjab, and their continued efforts to restore normal business in these difficult circumstances.
He thanked them for taking on the difficult challenge of resuming operations in the midst of the pandemic, and despite the difficulties caused by the various curbs in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Exuding confidence of early resumption of the remaining industry over the next few days, Singh said no train had left with migrant labourers from the state on Friday, which was a good sign and indicative of the fact that the workers were satisfied with the arrangements made for their care during the lockdown.
Earlier, leading industry players had suggested various short term measures and urgent interventions to support the economic revival of the state.
Besides seeking permission for technological upgradation of industry in the red zones to ensure continuity of operations, Sushen Mittal, Director, Aarti Group, which has already tied up with Tata Steel to start a scrappage plant by the end of the year, also underlined the need for a formal scrappage policy.
Monte Carlo Fashions Ltd. Executive Director Rishab Oswal was in favour of waiver of fixed electricity charges, in addition to formulation of an industrial park policy for within the local government areas.
Gaurav Munjal, Managing Director of Hero Ecotech Ltd., suggested reduction of Goods and Services Tax from 12 per cent to five per cent on cycles, and urged the state government to raise the issue with the GST Council.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)