Kolkata, Aug 18 Ahead of the next year's Assembly elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has made a key announcement for migrant workers returning back to the state. The new scheme -- 'Shramshree' -- was approved at a meeting here on Monday.
Amid allegations of torture of Bengali workers in other states, the Chief Minister announced on Monday that these migrant workers would get the allowance only after returning to Bengal.
In addition to monthly allowances, a one-time payment was also announced by the Chief Minister.
“This is the rehabilitation allowance. This means that financial assistance will be provided for one year, until a new job is arranged. The nodal department in this regard is the Labor Department," the Chief Minister told the mediapersons at the state secretariat of Nabanna on Monday.
According to the Chief Minister, many people had complained that they were forced to leave Bengal because of a lack of job opportunities in West Bengal.
"Now, the state government will help them until they find work back in Bengal. The name of this new initiative is 'Shramshree', the Chief Minister added.
The scheme was cleared at a meeting of the state capital on Monday.
“If any migrant worker wants to leave another state and come back to Bengal, the state government will provide them financial assistance. First, a one-time payment of Rs. 5,000 will be given upon their return to Bengal.
“After that, Rs 5,000 will be paid every month to them for a year. She also claimed that these migrant workers will continue to enjoy other state government benefits including health insurance. The Labour Department will look into the entire matter,“ the Chief Minister said.
Apart from financial assistance, Mamata Banerjee also said that these workers will be given training to get new jobs. She also said that 78 lakh job cards have already been prepared.
She also said that 78 lakh job cards have already been prepared.
“More than 2,730 families have been brought back in the last few days. If we take 4-5 people per family, a total of 10,000 people have been brought back,” the Chief Minister said.
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