Outlook April 30, 2020 21:38 IST Karnataka govt allows one-time movement of stranded people 1970-01-01T05:30:00+0530

(Eds: Adds details on order appointing nodal officers) Bengaluru, Apr 30 (PTI) The Karnataka government on Thursday decided to allow migrant workers, tourists, students and others stranded in different parts of the state due to the ongoing lockdown to return to their native places, a day after the Centre issued guidelines for the process. This will be a one-time movement and the government would arrange buses for those in need but they should bear the expenses, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said. He also said people willing to return to the state would have to undergo tests for COVID-19. Following the cabinet decision, Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar has issued order appointing senior IAS and IPS officers as the nodal officers to facilitate smooth movement of people across state borders as per SOPs. Senior IAS officer Rajkumar Khatri along with IPS officer Arun Jeji Chakravarthy have been made overall in-charge of movement of stranded people from outside States and UTs to Karnataka. Whereas Manjunatha Prasad (IAS) along with P S Sandhu (IPS) have been made in-charge of movement of stranded people from Karnataka to other States/UTs. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken a decision on the movement of people and the Centre had issued a circular in this regard. Following this, we have decided to permit interstate and inter-district movement," Madhuswamy told reporters here. Travel expenses should be borne by those willing to return and if they want, the government can provide buses from the state transport corporations. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday issued orders allowing migrant workers, tourists, students and other people stranded in different parts of the country to move to their respective destinations with certain conditions, giving a big relief to the distressed people. However, a decision on opening of salons and liquor shops in the state will be taken after May 3. The minister said permission would be given for one-time movement of labourers and others who want to go from one district to other for work or any other purpose. Those operating industry or establishment and want to move from place to place for management purpose will be given passes with strict scrutiny and through checks. Responding to a query, Madhuswamy said, "we don''t know yet how many are willing to go, where they will go, if some one asks for permission, we will permit." "One family or two or three people want to go, they can use taxi. If too many people want to go, we will provide facility through transport corporation buses," he added. In his order, the Chief Secretary has also appointed state specific nodal officers (IAS and IPS both) for New Delhi and northern states, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and North East states, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. The officers will coordinate with their counterparts from other states and will guide the district administration for movement of persons, the order said. PTI KSU ROH ROH