WB to bear entire cost of migrants returning home to state by special trains: Mamata

The West Bengal government will bear all expenses for bringing back migrant workers from other states by train, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday.

The state’s opposition parties, however, said increasing the number of trains is more important.

“Saluting the toil faced by our migrant brethren, I am pleased to announce the decision of GoWB to bear the entire cost of movement for our migrant workers by special trains from other states to West Bengal. No migrant will be charged,” Banerjee tweeted.

A letter sent on Saturday by chief secretary Rajiva Sinha to Railway Board chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav stated, “I would like to confirm that the entire cost of movement by special trains to West Bengal, of migrants of the state stranded in various parts of the country, shall be borne by the government of West Bengal. Instructions may accordingly be issued to the concerned railway officials that no costs may be claimed from those boarding these Shramik Special trains, destined for West Bengal, at the station of origin.”

The decision came amid a controversy over West Bengal’s phased policy for repatriating migrant workers. The state has repeatedly said it wants to bring back migrant workers in stages to ensure proper screening and observance of lockdown norms, but the state’s opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the Congress, have accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of being apathetic towards the migrants.

On Thursday, Banerjee announced the state has arranged 105 trains over a month, but railway minister Piyush Goyal responded to the announcement by accusing West Bengal of not doing enough. Goyal contended the state needs 105 trains daily.

On Saturday, BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha described Banerjee’s decision as “flawed and meaningless”. He said: “The railways have already said they would bear 85% of the cost and the states have been asked to pay only 15%. Why is the state willing to pay for what the railway is already committed to paying? The state needs to increase the number of trains and the government wants to divert people’s attention from this utmost priority.”

CPI-M legislator Sujan Chakraborty also criticised Banerjee. “Given the number of migrant workers from Bengal stranded in other states, Bengal would require about 3,000 trains to ferry them back. How would these people survive if the government allows only 105 trains over a period of a month?” he asked.

Congress’ Lok Sabha leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhury said increasing the frequency of trains was of utmost importance. “Those stranded in other states are getting restless and taking desperate measures to come home,” said Chowdhury, the MP from Berhampore in West Bengal.