Kolkata: The West Bengal government has issued an order allotting 28 train services to evacuate the migrant workers stranded in Kerala. The decision was taken under the initiative of former Kozhikode Collector P B Salim IAS, considering Kerala government’s request. The train services will begin from May 19. According to reports, five trains will start from Kozhikode with the first one on May 20.

Bengal government has also rolled out a wide rehabilitation project if the evacuated migrant workers want to stay in their native place. Dr P B Salim, now secretary to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and state nodal officer for migrant workers, said that all those returnees will be provided job according to their skill and talent.  

“After the ten trains in first phase, 105 more train services were approved from which 28 have been allotted to Kerala. As the nodal officer for migrant workers, it gives me immense pleasure personally,” Salim added.

Till date, it has been brought to the attention of state government the needs regarding more than 4 lakh Bengali migrant workers in Kerala. Kerala government has taken good care of them and intervened in providing food and accommodation facilities, he further said.

Lakhs of migrant workers will return to state in the next 30 days from other states. Once they reach railway stations, screening will be conducted and arrangements have been made to take home those asymptomatic persons, he added.