NEW DELHI, April 19 - In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centre on Sunday announced its revised guidelines and the latest SOP (standard operating protocol) for movement of stranded migrant labourers within the states where they are currently located.
Official sources said Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday reviewed the COVID-19 situation in the country and directed the officers of the ministry to discuss with states the relaxation in lockdown restrictions to be applicable from April 20.
The minister said as India is still fighting a battle with coronavirus, the lockdown restrictions as well as national directives should be followed scrupulously. He said while certain activities are being permitted in areas that do not fall within hotspots, clusters and containment zones, due caution has to be exercised to ensure that only genuine exemptions are given.
As per the latest SOP, in order to facilitate their movement within the states the migrant workers currently residing in shelter camps should be registered with the local authorities and their skill mapping be carried out to find out their suitability for various kinds of works. If the labourers wish to return to their places of work within the state where they are presently located, they would be screened and those who are asymptomatic would be transported to their respective places of work.
It may be noted that there shall be no movement of labourers outside the state or Union Territory where they are currently located, the SOP stated.
