UP planning low-cost shops, homes for migrant workers

LUCKNOW: The state government is formulating a policy under which it can provide low-cost shops and houses to migrant workers who have returned to their native villages across the state from different parts of the country owing to the lockdown.
Meanwhile, the government has completed skill mapping of 16 lakh workers, a first of the kind exercise in UP and perhaps across India, which will help the government to create skill specific jobs for these migrants.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that skill mapping of all returned migrants should be completed within 15 days.
Officials said the urban development department has been tasked with coming up with a plan for cheap housing and rentals for migrants and chief secretary will coordinate with various departments for drafting it. “During an interaction with migrants a few days back, the CM asked one of them what was preventing him from setting up a shop. Worker said he had no money. It was then decided to provide cheap houses and shops to workers,” said an official.
‘Relief in GST can be provided to private builders’
The urban development department will make a presentation to the CM by the end of this week,” said an official.
Among various proposals being worked out is asking local bodies and private builders to provide space to the workers in multi-storied buildings. For this, relief in floor area ration, GST etc could be provided to the builder. Government buildings and land will also be identified for creation of dormitories and shops. These will come with water, power and sewer facilities, an official said. He added that rents could also be reduced for migrant workers for both residential and commercial use of a property.
Meanwhile, the government has also mapped the skill set of about 16 lakh migrant workers. About 200 people out of the 500-odd working with the CM Helpline to contact migrant workers are being tasked to contact all those who have returned to cross check their skill sets. Other measures are also being put in place to expedite the work of collecting details about their skills. Additional Chief Secretary (home) Awanish Awasthi said that so far, a lot of carpenter, those who have worked in the real estate industry, drivers, gardeners, painters etc have registered with the government. Attempts will be made to connect them with the MSME department to find them jobs.
On Tuesday, the CM reviewed the work taking place under the newly set up Workers (employment and livelihood) Welfare Commission. Using the skill set data, district level employment offices will try and provide jobs locally to those who have returned to the state while the state-level committee will help in securing jobs outside the home districts.