The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the state government to draw a definite plan to rehabilitate the migrant workers, who returned to the state after being rendered jobless during the COVID-19 outbreak. It also expressed dissatisfaction over the information provided by the state government about the steps it has taken for these labourers.
"Let the needful be done by the next date along with the status report qua other facilities that are being extended to the labourers, who have been identified for extending benefits under respective schemes, it said. The courts direction came after a social organisation raised objection to the way the government filed a reply to its petition, the petitioners counsel Shanno S Khan counsel said.
There are no details about various welfare schemes meant for the labourers, including provision of loan under Centre/state schemes and how many labourers got benefit of MNREGA, Khan added.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Yadav and Justice V K Shukla gave the direction on Friday (December 4, 2020). "We are not satisfied by the chart produced by the state and its functionaries. Instead, they are required to draw out a definite plan to rehabilitate these migrated labourers so that they can earn livelihood in their home state," the court said in its order.
"Let the needful be done by the next date along with the status report qua other facilities that are being extended to the labourers, who have been identified for extending benefits under respective schemes,"it said.
