Over 3.67 lakh people entered Assam during lockdown: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Over 3.67 lakh people have entered Assam during the lockdown between March 25 and June 30, the state Assembly was informed on Tuesday.

In a written reply to a question by Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said a total of 3,67,564 people entered Assam during the period.

At least 2,92,343 people reached the state by road, rail and air from outside the northeast region, he added.

Sarma also told the House that the state government has paid Rs 3.69 crore to the Indian Railways to arrange Shramik Special trains to bring back migrant workers stranded in other parts of the country during the lockdown.

The state has spent Rs 160.88 crore to offer financial assistance to the residents of Assam, who were stuck in other parts of the country and abroad when the nationwide lockdown was announced to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease, he said.

Of this, Rs 155.85 crore was given to 3,89,613 people stranded in the other parts of the country and Rs 73.47 lakh to 97 people stuck abroad, Sarma said in a separate reply to Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi.

Besides, Rs 4.3 crore was disbursed to provide financial support to 889 patients undergoing treatment in other parts of the country, he said.

Replying to a question by AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam, Sarma said a total of 4,01,437 people have been kept in different quarantine centres and COVID Care Centres (CCC) till August 26.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary on Monday said 73,363 workers have returned to Assam after the nationwide lockdown was imposed but the government does not have the data of other people who have come back to the state.