GUWAHATI, April 20 - The State government will soon begin facilitating one-time movement of about 9,000 stranded migrant workers from across the State to make them reach their homes, even as police and civil administration vowed to ensure strict enforcement of COVID-19 national directives.
While 9,000 intra-state migrant workers are currently stranded in various districts of the State, around 45,000 inter-state migrant workers from Assam are stranded in other parts of the country.
In addition to that, the number of migrant workers hailing from different parts of the country who are currently stranded in Assam stands around 13,000.
Meanwhile, the government offices will start functioning from tomorrow with 30 per cent workforce at a time with the heads of the department entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining the duty roaster and COVID-19 restrictions.
Addressing a joint press conference alongside Director General of Assam Police, Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna said the fight against COVID-19 would continue and all the national guidelines would be strictly enforced till May 3.
�The government offices would however be allowed to function with certain guidelines, both in terms of their attendance as well their transport. All employees will have to work with face masks on and social distancing will have to be maintained at the workplace all the time,� the Chief Secretary said.
As per the Government of India guidelines, there would be no restriction on movement of agriculture produce or rural economy, besides functioning of food processing units, essential goods, medicines, IT hardware, food packaging, jute industry and dairy products.
�Such industries, however, will have to give an undertaking that the COVID-19 advisories would be maintained all the time, especially those related to social distancing of the workers,� Sanjay Krishna said.
�There would be no restrictions on e-commerce of essential commodities. Further, sectors like inland fisheries, irrigation, cold storage, warehousing and even brick kilns would be allowed to operate,� he said.
He further said the deputy commissioners have been asked to streamline distribution of textbooks.
