HomeLegal NewsGovt stops short of committing 85% subsidy on train fares for migrant workers to Supreme Court

Govt stops short of committing 85% subsidy on train fares for migrant workers to Supreme Court

The Supreme Court disposed off a public interest litigation (PIL) that had sought for subsidized movement of migrant laborers to their villages, noting that there is no merit in keeping the petition pending as the government was taking “all necessary steps”.

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By Ashmit Kumar  May 5, 2020, 8:42:23 PM IST (Updated)

Govt stops short of committing 85% subsidy on train fares for migrant workers to Supreme Court
The Supreme Court disposed off a public interest litigation (PIL) that had sought for subsidized movement of migrant laborers to their villages, noting that there is no merit in keeping the petition pending as the government was taking “all necessary steps”.


"At this moment, no such statement can be made as to what amount is being taken from the migrant workers...It is not for the court to issue any order under Article 32 regarding the same," the Supreme Court said.

Earlier, SC had asked the Centre for a confirmation of whether there was any scheme to subsidize rail fares by 85 percent. The Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, stopped short of any such undertaking, and submitted he did not have any instructions from the concerned ministry, on the issue. This came less than 24 hours after, the Joint Secretary of the Health Ministry had confirmed in a press conference that Railways would bear 85 percent of the train fare for migrants.

The Solicitor General did, however, argue that the Government was doing its bit to ensure that all possible facilities are being extended to migrant workers. He also submitted that the Government machinery was in motion to ensure that train and buses are plying, while also adhering to the rules and norms of social distancing.

Tushar Mehta also assured that the Government was being proactive and was monitoring the situation on the ground, in ensuring that even after migrant workers returned to their villages, norms of distancing and quarantine are followed. He warned that the modalities of movement of lakhs of workers should be left to the Government and that the Court should not allow micro-managing through such PILs.

The PIL had, initially, sought for Court’s directions to allow movement of migrant workers to travel back home. On April 29, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an order, allowing for migrant workers to return to their villages.

Arguing for this PIL, Prashant Bhushan today had argued that the lockdown had consumed the little saving that the workers had. He submitted that surveys had revealed that 64 percent of the workers had less than Rs 100 available with them. He also submitted that many of them are being charged about Rs 700-800 per ticket for travel back to their villages.

He had pitched before the SC, for directing the Centre to bear the entire expense of movement of the migrant workers.

He had also argued that workers are being compelled to get health certificates before being allowed to board trains. This was another drain on the limited finances of the workers, argued Prashant Bhushan.

However, these arguments had left the bench of Supreme Court unimpressed. The SC observed that they saw no point in keeping the petition pending. The SC observed that the Centre appeared to be taking all the necessary steps and disposed off the PIL.
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