Karnataka government was criticised after stopping migrants' trains from leaving the state (File)
The Karnataka government has been asked to explain how it distributed Rs 5,000 each to 1.25 lakh migrant construction labourers - to prevent a mass exodus amid the coronavirus lockdown - despite lacking basic contact details such as names, addresses or even the districts in which they lived.
The state's public accounts committee (PAC) has asked the Labour Secretary to reply on this matter within 15 days. The government has been asked: "How were 1.25 lakh labourers paid Rs 5,000 each without proper addresses?"
"To my utter surprise, even the names of the districts of these beneficiaries was not known. The committee felt something fishy was going on," HK Patil, the PAC Chairman, said.
In May, after the centre eased lockdown rules to jumpstart the economy, the BS Yediyurappa government in Karnataka cancelled special trains taking thousands of stranded men and women to their home states.
The government claimed the labourers were needed for construction activities that had re-started. The Congress had a different view, accusing the ruling BJP of holding the captive and using the term "bonded labour" in its attack.
Chief Minister Yediyurappa, who said he "appealed" to migrants to stay behind, announced a Rs 1,600 crore relief package that included measures for migrant construction workers.
Under this, "registered" workers would get Rs 3,000 in addition to the Rs 2,000 they received earlier. According to state government data, there are around 15.8 lakh "registered" workers.
The PAC has questioned this data, which shows 43,000 registered in state capital Bengaluru but 66,000 in Bidar district. "How does Bengaluru, which is an active place for construction, have fewer workers than Bidar and many other places?" Mr Patil asked.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan has said that given logistical constraints during the early days of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the government adopted "best possible practice".
"Still, if there is suspicion, we are always open to an investigation," he added.
Karnataka has reported around 8,200 COVID-19 cases so far, of which 2,947 are active and 124 are deaths linked to the virus. The current phase of the coronavirus lockdown is scheduled to end June 30.