This story is from June 5, 2020

Workers start going outside Bihar for job

Workers start going outside Bihar for job
Passengers outside Patna airport on Thursday
PATNA: Bihar has witnessed a huge influx of migrant workers after the Centre allowed the interstate movement of stranded people in May. However, with no work and money left, some returnees are going back to their previous workplaces in search of a livelihood.
A bus from Bhatinda in Punjab reached Darbhanga in Bihar on Wednesday to take migrant workers back. Parked between Bithauli and Arai, it left for its destination with at least 50 men from nearby villages.
Earlier, a bus had left for Ludhiana in Punjab with a group of 30 workers from Haripur village under Singheshwarshtan block in the district.
The return of migrants to their workplaces in search of jobs is not confined to Darbhanga alone. On Sunday, altogether 20 men from villages under Minapur block in Muzaffarpur district went back to Punjab by a bus. Most of them had come to their native villages before Holi and were stuck because of the nationwide lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus.
Sources claimed that a contractor in Minapur was in touch with the farmers in Punjab, who require migrant workers for paddy cultivation on their agricultural lands during the monsoon season.
20-year-old Madan Kumar, whose father, Manoj Sahni, left by the bus bearing the registration number of Punjab, told this newspaper, “In the changed scenario, the farmers of Punjab have agreed to pay Rs 12,000 for paddy sowing on an acre of land, instead of Rs 4,000. Who will not grab this opportunity.”
Besides, some migrants have received e-tickets from farmers in Punjab to facilitate their return. One Sonelal Sahni, a resident of Gosai village under Minapur block in Muzaffarpur, said, “I will board a train for Delhi from Muzaffarpur Junction and leave for Ludhiana by a special vehicle.”

E-tickets have reportedly been booked for several other migrant workers hailing from Ganga Dharampur and Purainia villages. “After getting their e-tickets, at least 15 people left for Punjab by trains,” a local resident, Ganesh Shahi, said.
Asked about the return of migrants to their workplaces, the block development officer of Minapur, Amrendra Kumar, pointed out, “I have not received any official information either from any people’s representative or any government official till date.”
He, however, admitted that unconfirmed reports said that some migrant workers from Turki Purvi village had returned to Punjab in search of work.
End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA