Migrant workers board special train to return to their native state during a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of new coronavirus.
Bihar state government will bear the train fare of returning students and also reimburse migrant workers on completing their quarantine, as all are returning to their native states amid coronavirus lockdown extention in the country. The announcement has been made by chief minister Nitish Kumar.
The move has come after the Centre said that railways has subsidised 85 per cent of ticket fare for special trains being run to transport migrant workers and the state government has to pay the remaining 15 per cent. It also added that the state government concerned can also pay for the tickets.
The BJP leader further clarified that for each 'Shramik Express', special trains being run for migrants, about 1,200 tickets to the destination are handed by the railways to the state government concerned. State governments are supposed to clear the ticket price and hand over the tickets to workers, he said.
Seeking to corner the central government, the Congress on Monday said its state units will bear the cost of rail travel of needy migrant workers and labourers stranded at their workplaces due to the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus.
ALSO READ | Over 2,000 migrants return to UP from Maharashtra in two special trains
ALSO READ | Mizoram BJP asks Centre for special trains to bring back northeast migrants
