Centre, states doing their best: Prasad on migrants' plight

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said the Centre and states are doing their "best" to deal with the issue of migrants' plight in these very challenging times, and stated that if "there is scope for improvement we are open for that". His strong defence of central and state governments came a day after the apex court pulled them up for "inadequacies and certain lapses" as it took cognizance of the miseries of migrant workers. The court asked the Centre and states to provide them transport, food and shelter immediately free of cost.

Speaking at a BJP press conference, Prasad said, "I can only state with all humility that all the governments are doing their best. These are very challenging times. If someone has a better solution to offer, we are willing to look at it. In the given situation, best possible efforts are being done and will continue to be done." Central and state governments will file their replies and inform the court about steps they have taken in the matter, the senior BJP leader said. He cited relatively much fewer deaths in India compared to countries like the US, the UK, France and Spain among others to assert that results for India "speak aloud". Asked about the adverse observations of the apex court, Prasad said it will not be proper for him as the law minister to comment on them. Earlier in the press conference, he had said everyone is concerned about migrant workers who are in "pain" and want to go home. The government is working to help them, he added. Taking up the issue of migrants' plight on its own, the court had referred to media reports showing the "unfortunate and miserable conditions" of migrant labourers walking on foot and cycling long distances after the lockdown and issued notices to the Centre, states and Union territories and sought their replies by May 28.

Although the Centre and states have taken measures to provide relief to the migrants, the court said there have been "inadequacies and certain lapses". Effective concentrated efforts are now required to redeem the situation, it added..

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