Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government said Monday that it will bear the cost of train tickets of migrant workers coming in ‘Shramik Special’ trains. It said that if the state from where the journey is beginning does not bear the expenses, then the Odisha government will do the needful.
The cost of the ticket will be adjusted against amount given to the migrant worker as incentive for being in quarantine. The state government had earlier announced an incentive of Rs 2,000 for each outstation returnee going into quarantine.
It seems that the Centre’s claim of bearing 85 per cent cost of the train fare of the migrant workers remains on paper only. The Union Government had announced that it would bear 85 per cent of the ticket cost of migrant labourers while 15 per cent will be borne by the state governments.
PNN