PATNA: Initially reluctant to allow the migrants and students from the state stranded in other parts of the country to return, the Bihar government is nor showering them with gifts. Hundreds of students, who returned from Kota in Rajasthan on Tuesday by a special train, were welcomed at Darbhanga station by district administration officials with bunches of rose and the homemade masks with Madhubani painting prints.
Not just that, the station was festooned with colourful balloons while the screening stalls had posters welcoming the students. On getting off the train, the students were greeted with claps and a chorus of “welcome to your home state”. “Our gesture is aimed at making them feel welcomed and bond with the culture of the state,” DM Dr Tyagrajan SM.
Earlier, the state government had faced a lot of flak for its stand against the return of migrants and students. Perhaps realising the damage it could do to CM Nitish Kumar’s image when the state is scheduled to face elections later this year, the government has embarked on course-correction by handing out gifts to those who have returned.
Thousands of migrants staying at disaster relief camps or district quarantine centres are being provided with sets of utensils, clothes, milk powder, soaps, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, hair oil, mirror and comb, beside mask and food. “We have been allowed to take all these items home after 14 days of quarantine,” said an elated Savita Devi at a quarantine centre in Patna.
On Monday, CM Nitish also announced to give Rs 500 in cash to each of the migrants discharged after 21 days of quarantine.Pratyay Amrit, principal secretary (disaster management) said the DMs of all the 38 districts have been directed to ensure the migrants get these items free of cost without fail.