HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Thursday questioned the State government whether it was willing to pay Rs 1,500 financial assistance to migrant workers. Expressing concern with difficulties being faced by the workers, a division bench of the Court noted that denial of payments on grounds that white ration cardholders had not drawn ration from January to March this year was not correct.
“They might have migrated to far off places like Delhi and other cities to earn some wages, and hence could not take the ration. Now they have lost their jobs in those cities because of the havoc brought about by the Coronavirus, and returned on foot to their native villages in Telangana. It will be a double jeopardy for them if the government denies extending financial assistance. Who else can be more needy than the returned migrants?”, the bench asked the State. The bench then posted the matter to July 23 for further hearing.