21L people from Bengal operating as migrant workers in different states: Minister

Kolkata, Aug 2 (IANS) West Bengal Labour Minister Moloy Ghatak told the Assembly on Friday that over 21 lakh individuals from the state are operating as migrant workers in different states across the country.

Speaking during the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Assembly, Naushad Siddique, the lone All India Secular Front (AISF) legislator, raised two questions -- on the number of closed factories in West Bengal, and the total number of people working as migrant workers in other states.

In reply, Ghatak said that 21,59,737 individuals from Bengal are currently working as migrant labourers in different states, with the majority concentrated in Maharashtra.

Replying to the first query, Ghatak said as of FY 2023-24, the number of closed factories in Bengal stood at 169, two less than the figures of FY 2022-23.

He also informed the House that 242 migrant workers from the state are currently stuck in Kerala due to the devastations caused by landslides in Wayanad, out of whom 155 are in contract with the state government.

--IANS

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