Kerala government launches Apna Ghar to make migrant workers feel at home
Migrant labourers are often forced to stay without basic amenities like water and sanitation. Reason enough for the Kerala government to build a four-storeyed building that can accommodate 640 workers.
In a first in the country, the Kerala government has completed work on building accommodation for migrant workers in the state. The project, called Apna Ghar, is currently valued at Rs 8.5 crore, and can house 640 people.
As reported by The Logical Indian, the state government of Kerala announced the completion of its first venture on February 23. Under the scheme, a four-storeyed building with 64 rooms, 32 kitchens, 96 bathrooms, eight dining halls, and laundry spaces had been built in the town of Kanjikode, Palakkad. The building is equipped with a fire-fighting system, rainwater harvesting set-ups, diesel generators, 24-hour security arrangement, and CCTV cameras.
Image Credit: India Today
Accommodation at the residential facility will cost between Rs 750 and Rs 1,000 per month.
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The migrant population in Kerala
Migrant labourers constitute a major part of Kerala's workforce and have almost replaced the domestic ones in the construction sector. This has led to a dearth of accommodation facilities; labourers are often forced to stay without basic amenities like water and sanitation systems.
This scheme was planned a few months after the release of a fake audio clip featuring a worker from Bengal employed at a hotel in Kerala being beaten to death by the owner. The clip, which was circulated on WhatsApp, induced panic among all migrant workers.
Speaking to The News Minute, Dr GL Muraleedharan, Chief Operating Officer, Bhavanam Foundation, said, “There is a tendency to inflict fear among the migrant workers in the state. This is a scheme from the government to drive away such fears and threats among migrant workers and make them feel at home.”
The scheme is jointly managed by the Kerala government and Bhavanam Foundation, a public sector, non-profit company. As reported by India Today, the 4,000 square-feet building was built under the supervision of Centre of Science and Technology For Rural Development (COSTFORD), a Thrissur-based organisation that gives technological assistance for various projects. The Kerala Industrial Technical Consultancy (KITCO) also pitched in for the project and offered its guidance.
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