MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh welcomes AICC decision on migrant workers

A REPORTER

SHILLONG: Meghalaya Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh has welcomed the decision by the All India Congress Committee to bear the cost for transportation of migrant workers to their home States.

The Congress MLA said that all State Pradesh Congress Committees has been directed to start identifying individuals so that they can find a modality of providing cost of transportation to send migrant workers back to their home States.

She informed that she was personally in contact with 293 migrant workers in the State and is looking to bear their transportation cost, if the government provides a procedure as to how these individuals will be transported.

Ampareen revealed that her office has been trying to access passes for individuals to travel to their home States and around 10 persons have been dropped off till Khanapara.

"This is a very positive move made by the AICC. Millions are without jobs, without livelihood and many millions are stranded across different States across India. When you say that an individual is stranded it obviously indicates that individual is helpless and needs the attention of the government," she said.

She also revealed that in Karnataka alone, there are 2,790 Meghalaya citizens currently stranded. "Now the question is once transportation will be opened by rail or air who will bear the cost of the travel of these individuals," she questioned.

"These individuals are stranded there without a livelihood or a job. So this decision taken by the AICC is a big addition to the hope these individuals have expressed by registering themselves with the government," she said.

Ampareen revealed that she was approached by 293 migrant workers asking for help. "There were more but I was only able to help to 293 individuals with 5 kgs of rice and 2 kgs of potatoes so I know that these individuals will not have money to move out. It is a challenging task but some sort of a procedure has to be put in place," she stressed.

On being questioned if the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee will hold a meeting to discuss the modalities on AICCs directive to facilitate migrant workers, she said that they will be working on it. "I expect that there will be a quick response from the party and we will await for the direction of the party," Ampareen said.

She added that she will try to get in touch with colleagues from the party in other states in order to assist in safe passage of individuals.

The Congress MLA also said that they were especially looking out for States like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, Rajasthan, UP, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand etc. as these states have no liaison offices of the Government of Meghalaya. "We don't have a Meghalaya house in these States," she stated.  

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