Paying for migrants to return home, Rs 870 a ticket: Amarinder

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 6

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh on Wednesday told the meeting held by Congress President Sonia Gandhi that the Railways were charging Rs 870 a ticket to take migrants to their native places and the state government was paying the amount.

All Congress-ruled states said arrangements were being made to ensure migrants returned home free.

Pegging the April revenue shortfall for the state at 88 per cent, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said with all tax revenues dried up and only 1.5 per cent of the industry currently operational, Punjab was facing a difficult financial situation, which was compounded by absence of aid from the Central government.

Participating in a video conference of chief ministers of Congress-ruled states with party president Sonia Gandhi, along with Dr Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi, Capt Amarinder shared his state’s Covid containment strategy and the roadmap for economic revival.

During the meeting, Sonia asked the chief minister to convey her congratulations to the farmers of Punjab for a smooth procurement season, with the latter disclosing that more than 100 lakh MT had arrived in the mandis already, and the entire procurement process was expected to be completed by mid-May.

States assured Sonia Gandhi that they had decided to pay for the travel of migrant labourers and had asked the Railways for special trains.

Punjab CM said that Rs 35 Crore had been set aside and Railways was charging Rs 870 per ticket, which the state was paying.

Singh on Wednesday said that the state had set up two committees, one to strategise on how to come out of lockdown and another on economic revival.

Singh made the remarks during Congress President Sonia Gandhi's interaction with the Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states on the management of COVID-19 and the post-May 17 challenges.

“Concern is people sitting in Delhi are deciding on classification of zones without knowing what’s happening on the ground,” added Singh. 

Also read: ‘Centre should let the CMs do what they know best’: Capt Amarinder Singh

Addressing the CMs, Gandhi asked what criteria the government would adopt to continue or discontinue the lockdown.

“After May 17th, what? And after May 17th, how? What criteria is GOI using to judge how long the lockdown is to continue?” she asked.

Former PM Manmohan Singh, who also joined the web meeting, seconded Gandhi and said, “We need to know, as Soniaji said, what will happen after lockdown 3.0?”

Speaking first Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot demanded a stimulus package.

He said, “Until an extensive stimulus package is given, how will states and country run? We have lost Rs 10,000 crore of revenue. States have repeatedly requested PM for a package but we are yet to hear from GOI.”

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Gandhi also thanked farmers, particularly of Punjab and Haryana, for “ensuring food security by bumper wheat crop, despite all odds.”

Puducherry CM SV. Narayanasamy says, “Government of India is deciding on zones without consulting the States and this is creating anomalous situation. People sitting in Delhi can’t tell the States, No State or CM is consulted. Why? PM isn’t saying a word on economic package for States.”

Manmohan Singh says, “Sonia Gandhi has already pointed out. CMs need to deliberate and ask as to what is the strategy of Government of India to get the country out of lockdown?”

Rahul Gandhi says, “The central piece of strategy to fight covid is to protect the elderly as also those who are diabetic and with heart condition.”

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel says, “States are facing dire economic crisis. They need to be provided immediate assistance.”

“Chattisgarh is one state where 80% of Small Industries have restarted & nearly 85,000 workers have returned to work.”

Former minister P. Chidambaram said,"States are bleeding in terms of finances but no money is being allocated by GOI. A number of newspapers have brought out the unavailability of finances with States.”

Senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily said, "Strategy to declare lockout or come out of it hasn’t been stated at all by Prime Minister or changed at all.”