<p>The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed all the States and Union Territories to establish a counselling centre at village and block level for identifying the avenues for the employment of migrant workers. Over one crore such workers returned to their native places on losing employment after imposition of the nationwide lockdown on March 25 to contain COVID-19 pandemic. </p>.<p>A three-judge bench presided over by Justice Ashok Bhushan directed to finish transportation of all stranded migrant workers within 15 days.</p>.<p>The court said "immediate steps" should be taken to facilitate registration of workers at local or police station level with adequate publicity through local newspapers, and TV channels for their travel by trains or buses.</p>.<p>Passing a slew of directions in Suo Motu case registered as "problems and miseries faced by migrant workers" on May 26, the bench, also comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M R Shah said, besides 171 Shramik Special Trains being run between June 3 and 16, Railways should make additional train available within 24 hours of demand by the States.</p>.<p>"The process of transportation by rail and road has to be completed by all States and Union Territories so that the next stage of attending the needs of migrant labourers be looked into i.e. source of employment and providing food and ration for them," the bench said. </p>.<p>The court noted that substantial number of stranded workers have already been taken back. But still there are migrant labourers in Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. </p>.<p>It also directed for maintaining details of all migrant labourers, who have reached their native places, with information on their skill, nature of employment, earlier place of employment. </p>.<p>"The State shall establish counselling centres, help desk at block and district level to provide all necessary information regarding schemes of the government and to extend helping hand to migrant labourers to identify avenues of employment and benefits which can be availed by them under the different schemes," the court directed.</p>.<p>Such centres would also help who wanted to return to their places of employment, it added.</p>.<p>Among others, the court directed the States to consider withdrawal of prosecution of the migrant workers for offences related to breaking of lockdown lodged under the Disaster Management Act as they were "forced to proceed to their native place, after cessation of their employment are already suffering".</p>.<p>The court said States and Union Territories are taking necessary steps for running the relief camps, shelter camps, attending the needs of food and water of the migrants, and working for their transportation to the native places. However, it said certain lapses and instances of excesses were noted for which remedial action is to be taken.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed all the States and Union Territories to establish a counselling centre at village and block level for identifying the avenues for the employment of migrant workers. Over one crore such workers returned to their native places on losing employment after imposition of the nationwide lockdown on March 25 to contain COVID-19 pandemic. </p>.<p>A three-judge bench presided over by Justice Ashok Bhushan directed to finish transportation of all stranded migrant workers within 15 days.</p>.<p>The court said "immediate steps" should be taken to facilitate registration of workers at local or police station level with adequate publicity through local newspapers, and TV channels for their travel by trains or buses.</p>.<p>Passing a slew of directions in Suo Motu case registered as "problems and miseries faced by migrant workers" on May 26, the bench, also comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M R Shah said, besides 171 Shramik Special Trains being run between June 3 and 16, Railways should make additional train available within 24 hours of demand by the States.</p>.<p>"The process of transportation by rail and road has to be completed by all States and Union Territories so that the next stage of attending the needs of migrant labourers be looked into i.e. source of employment and providing food and ration for them," the bench said. </p>.<p>The court noted that substantial number of stranded workers have already been taken back. But still there are migrant labourers in Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. </p>.<p>It also directed for maintaining details of all migrant labourers, who have reached their native places, with information on their skill, nature of employment, earlier place of employment. </p>.<p>"The State shall establish counselling centres, help desk at block and district level to provide all necessary information regarding schemes of the government and to extend helping hand to migrant labourers to identify avenues of employment and benefits which can be availed by them under the different schemes," the court directed.</p>.<p>Such centres would also help who wanted to return to their places of employment, it added.</p>.<p>Among others, the court directed the States to consider withdrawal of prosecution of the migrant workers for offences related to breaking of lockdown lodged under the Disaster Management Act as they were "forced to proceed to their native place, after cessation of their employment are already suffering".</p>.<p>The court said States and Union Territories are taking necessary steps for running the relief camps, shelter camps, attending the needs of food and water of the migrants, and working for their transportation to the native places. However, it said certain lapses and instances of excesses were noted for which remedial action is to be taken.</p>
