Odisha Govt Justifies Its Move To Bring Back Migrant Workers From Outside States

Bhubaneswar: The State Government on Saturday dispelled the doubts raised in certain quarters regarding its decision to bring back migrant Odias from outside the State by saying that it was a preventive step to protect the Odias in case the spread of coronavirus further intensifies in June.

In his daily press briefing, State Government’s COVID-19 spokesperson Subroto Bagchi said around 12,70,000 Odias work outside the State in different sectors according to 2011 census. Similarly, 8,60,000 persons from outside the State work in Odisha.

Stating that India is a country of migrant workers, Bagchi said it is the moral responsibility of the Government to take care of them. While members of 16 per cent of the families in the State migrate in search of livelihood, 92 per cent of them work in unorganised sector, said Bagchi.

Besides, it is the constitutional right of every citizen to move from one part of the country to another and no Government can prevent force them to stay in a particular place for indefinite period.

However, he clarified that all the migrant workers, students and others will have to remain in quarantine centres for mandatory period so that the fear of spread of the virus from them to others can be dispelled