NEW DELHI: Taking note of the plight of migrant workers, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered states and Union territories to ensure registration of around one crore migrant workers at village and block levels to determine their employability and provide jobs suitably in the home states.
A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said, “There are huge lapses on the part of the state authorities in implementing state policies and decisions and most of the claims are only on paper,” the bench’s order read.
The bench gave the Centre and states 15 days to send back migrants and directed the Railways to provide a train within 24 hours of a demand raised by any state. It also asked states to consider quashing all criminal cases against migrants who had proceeded on foot, and withdraw all complaints and prosecution against those who violated lockdown rules.