Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday announced that the state government will bear the cost of migrant workers returning home on ‘Shramik Special’ trains. This comes days after the state cancelled special trains for migrants and restored after massive public outrage.

After several requests from labour unions and opposition, the government had decided to pay for tickets of all migrants boarding the special trains to various states till May 31. Several media reports had also highlighted the plight of poor migrants who were unable to afford tickets to board trains.

‘Government considers migrant workers, who have come from far-flung parts of our country, as our own people and it is my firm belief that they too must be supported by the state,’ CM Yediyurappa tweeted.

2/3Government considers migrant workers, who have come from far flung parts of our country, as our own people and it is my firm belief that they too must be supported by the State.

— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) May 22, 2020

The proposal to make travel free for migrants who have been stranded for months now. With many states refusing to pay fares of migrants, Karnataka has stepped up to help the workers.

Recently, the West Bengal government took a similar decision for the return of Bengali migrants stranded in other states. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced that her government would arrange free travel by train for all the workers and other people who are stranded in other parts of the country.

Also Read: After Receiving Flak, Karnataka Govt To Resume Train Services For Stranded Migrant Workers