GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday ordered issuing job cards to migrant workers returning to the state from different parts of the country due to the coronavirus lockdown.
At a high-level meeting held here, Sonowal directed various departments to ensure employment of those labourers who are already "skilled".
"The chief minister directed the panchayat and rural development department to allot job cards to returning migrant workers and provide them jobs under MGNREGA at the earliest," an official release said.
He said the government is prioritising the migrants workers.
"These workers are our asset. They have acquired skills in different sectors while working outside.
"We need to sharpen their skills so that they can be employed here," Sonowal added.
He also ordered the Skill Development Department to take steps for imparting training to the migrant labourers coming back to Assam.
These labourers should be provided training at block-level through a digital platform, the statement said.
The chief minister also directed the Industries Department to prepare a district-wise list of MSMEs for providing benefits to the sector under the Rs 20 lakh crore financial package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said that there are 1.01 lakh micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in the state, and asked the department concerned to initiate all measures for passing on the benefits announced by the Centre.
"He instructed the Finance Department to discuss with the banks about ways to provide bank loans to returning labourers for engaging them in productive sectors," the release mentioned.
Commerce, Industry, Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Naba Kumar Doley and senior officials were present during the meeting.