Assam: Over 4 Lakh Migrants Stuck in Other States Seek "Help" from Govt amid Lockdown

Guwahati, April 18, 2020:

Shedding light on the number of migrant workers who are stranded in other parts of the state following the lockdown over the coronavirus, Assam Finance and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that roughly 4 lakh "verified" migrant workers have called in from different states demanding financial assistance amid the lockdown.

On the Assam Government's helpline number, 9,29,586 "missed calls" were received from people who claimed that they are from outside Assam, and 4,32,383 of those have been verified after consultation with telecom services such as Jio, BSNL, etc.

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If we also take their families into account, Sarma said the numbers could rise exponentially -- upto 15 lakh. "We urged the 4 lakh people who have been verified to fill up their forms. 2,17,220 people among those have filled up their forms. 50,000 people among those will be provided with something after verification", he said. Sarma has said that these people will receive financial subsistence to tide them over the situation.

The number of people who called in for help contacted the Assam Government from all parts of the country. The numbers of Assamese people who appealed for help are as follows:

Karnataka 66,000

Kerala 34,000

Tamil Nadu 33,000

Maharashtra 21,000

Telangana 16,000

Gujarat 5,620

Goa 4,600

West Bengal 4,512

Haryana 4,202

New Delhi 3,729

Most of the migrants, Sarma said, are from the Nagaon district, where 15,000 people left homes for work outside.

If these people do return, the Minister prophesied, quarantine facilities and train facilities will be over-burdened and it will become an ostensibly bigger challenge for the health department.

A second wave of these people, if they arrive, Sarma said, will pose a major threat to the state, however, he added that the administration is "prepared" to deal with the situation.

However, Sarma said that they might not prefer to return to Assam if the factories and companies in the other states do open up. "Whether they will come back or not is a million dollar question", he said. Himanta Biswa Sarma has further said that "largely" 95% of these people who have been earmarked must be earning "below the level of" 15,000 or 20,000, as has been verified by the administration.

Meanwhile, the Government has now provided 720 people suffering from serious diseases who are stranded in other parts of India have been provided with a financial assistance of Rs 25,000 each. Further, 208 applications are being verified at the DC offices in the district. At the same time, according to Government figures, approximately 120 tests per 10 lakh people are being performed and the Government, he said, is now contemplating to go for rapid tests. Once that happens, Biswa Sarma said that the the number of tests will go up rapidly.

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Biswa Sarma further added that the rapid testing kit in Government hospitals will likely be brought in to Government hospitals as they prepare to once again open their doors to non-COVID patients.

If rapid testing kits are procured, Sarma said, the administration is planning to begin reopening other services at the Guwahati Medical College, the Silchar Medical College and the Assam Medical College from April 25 onwards.

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