he Ministry of Home Affairs on March 29 said that the migrant workers must be “kept in the nearest shelter by the respective state/UT Government quarantine facilities after proper screening for a minimum period of 14 days as per standard health protocol.”

It further added that states and Union Territories should ensure that adequate arrangements have been made for temporary shelters and provision of food for the “poor and needy” including migrant labourers.

Read more: After migrant workers’ exodus, Centre asks states to ensure there is no movement across cities

“Provision must be made for food and shelter for stranded labourers, sufficient funds have been given to states, UTs for it,” the Home Ministry said in its order.Movement of a large number of migrants have taken place in some parts of the country so as to reach their home towns. This is a violation of the lockdown measures on maintaining social distance,” the order said, adding that in order to mitigate the “economic hardship of migrant workers” and deal with the situation, these additional measures have to be adopted.

Earlier, centre had asked states to ensure that there is no movement of people across cities or on highways as part of measures to prevent movement of migrant workers in several parts of the country.

“Only movement of goods should be allowed,” the government said in a statement on March 29, adding that it issued direction that district and state borders should be “effectively sealed”.

After the government imposed a 21-day nationwide lockdown on March 24 to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, thousands of labourers who began a long walk home said after they were left with little choice as work and public transport vanished.

The government has been roundly criticised for the delay in providing transport for these workers.