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NEW DELHI: The government on Monday criticized Congress for politicizing the issue of migrant travel and said “sometimes the facts are contrary to emotion.”
Shortly after Congress alleged that the government is charging train fees for migrant workers, the BJP issued a clarification that tickets are not being sold and that the Indian railways and respective state governments are bearing the cost of the trip.
The clarification came when Congress and several other opposition parties lashed out at the central government accusing it of charging train fees to migrant workers.
Thousands of migrant workers are trapped in various parts of the country due to the coronavirus-induced blockade imposed last month. Last week, the central government announced that special trains will be organized to send migrant workers back home.
“We have to understand that we are in a confinement situation and that some poor migrants are trapped. The government has already asked people to stay where they are, but some people need to travel to get to their place of origin due to multiple problems. They need help, but not everyone needs to travel, “government sources told TOI.
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The responsibility for preparing the list of eligible migrant workers to travel lies with the state government, the government source said.
“The state governments give a list of people along with a destination to the railways that later organize special trains,” he clarified.
“Indian Railways pays 85% of the total cost, which represents the train, the social distance, the loss of the return fee, etc. The states have to pay the remaining 15%, which in this case is not a large amount but it guarantees responsibility in the system, “added the source.
Stressing the importance of the role played by the state government in this exercise, he said that eliminating this system “would be catastrophic.”
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“Because states identify themselves, perform health checks, and decide passengers based on their needs. Eliminating this system would be catastrophic as thousands of people would start traveling, risking our villages. We surely don’t want our villages to convert in Italy, “said the source.
In response to Sonia Gandhi’s announcement that her party would bear the cost of migrant workers’ travel, the government source added that the president of Congress should have instructed his state government “to pay his share.”
“What the President of Congress said doesn’t change much on the ground, since Railways is already paying 85% of the tariffs. Instead of the Party, it would have been better if she had instructed her state governments not to surrender to politics and pay your share, “he said.
“Grandiose but unfounded announcements can help dejected opposition, but to ensure people receive the right help, the government must ensure that the systems work with proper processes and full responsibility. The railways have successfully run 34 trains without any problems. but this announcement by Sonia Gandhi has the potential to mess up the entire system and create chaos, “he added.
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Shortly after Congress alleged that the government is charging train fees for migrant workers, the BJP issued a clarification that tickets are not being sold and that the Indian railways and respective state governments are bearing the cost of the trip.
The clarification came when Congress and several other opposition parties lashed out at the central government accusing it of charging train fees to migrant workers.
Thousands of migrant workers are trapped in various parts of the country due to the coronavirus-induced blockade imposed last month. Last week, the central government announced that special trains will be organized to send migrant workers back home.
“We have to understand that we are in a confinement situation and that some poor migrants are trapped. The government has already asked people to stay where they are, but some people need to travel to get to their place of origin due to multiple problems. They need help, but not everyone needs to travel, “government sources told TOI.
Coronavirus outbreak: full coverage
Read our coronavirus blog live for the latest news and updates
The responsibility for preparing the list of eligible migrant workers to travel lies with the state government, the government source said.
“The state governments give a list of people along with a destination to the railways that later organize special trains,” he clarified.
“Indian Railways pays 85% of the total cost, which represents the train, the social distance, the loss of the return fee, etc. The states have to pay the remaining 15%, which in this case is not a large amount but it guarantees responsibility in the system, “added the source.
Stressing the importance of the role played by the state government in this exercise, he said that eliminating this system “would be catastrophic.”
More about Covid-19
“Because states identify themselves, perform health checks, and decide passengers based on their needs. Eliminating this system would be catastrophic as thousands of people would start traveling, risking our villages. We surely don’t want our villages to convert in Italy, “said the source.
In response to Sonia Gandhi’s announcement that her party would bear the cost of migrant workers’ travel, the government source added that the president of Congress should have instructed his state government “to pay his share.”
“What the President of Congress said doesn’t change much on the ground, since Railways is already paying 85% of the tariffs. Instead of the Party, it would have been better if she had instructed her state governments not to surrender to politics and pay your share, “he said.
“Grandiose but unfounded announcements can help dejected opposition, but to ensure people receive the right help, the government must ensure that the systems work with proper processes and full responsibility. The railways have successfully run 34 trains without any problems. but this announcement by Sonia Gandhi has the potential to mess up the entire system and create chaos, “he added.
