Coronavirus lockdown | Centre, States doing their best in these challenging times: Prasad

He says everyone is concerned about migrant workers who are in ‘pain’ and ‘want to go home’

A day after the Supreme Court took cognisance of the “unfortunate and miserable” plight of migrant workers, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said the Centre and States were doing their “best” in these very challenging times, and if “there is scope for improvement we are open for that.”

Also read: Hours before taking up migrant workers issue, Supreme Court got stinging letter from senior lawyers

Mr. Prasad was addressing a press conference over video link. “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,” he said.

The Central and State governments would file their replies and inform the court about the steps they had taken in the matter, he said, adding that his position as Law Minister precluded him from commenting further on the adverse comments by the court.

He said everyone was concerned about migrant workers who were in “pain” and “want to go home.” The government was working to help them, he added.

Also read: Will migrant workers benefit from the Centre’s measures?

Free food, shelter

Taking cognisance of the “unfortunate and miserable” plight of the migrant labourers stranded across the country due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the Supreme Court on Tuesday had said that they need “succour and help by the concerned governments” with regard to free food and shelter.

Referring to various media reports showing the miserable conditions of migrant labourers walking on foot and cycles from long distances, the top court issued notices to the Centre, States and Union Territories and sought their replies by May 28.