STATES’ CONSENT NOT NEEDED

NEWDELHI: Consent of states where trains ferrying migrants terminate is not needed to run the special Shramik trains, the government said on Tuesday, reversing an earlier order that called for mutual agreement of both sending and receiving states to transport labourers to their hometowns. The move came against the backdrop of differences between the Centre and some states over the running of these trains.

It also came on a day when the Centre issued a fresh set of guidelines for operating the services, and said the trains will be permitted by the railway ministry in consultation with the home ministry.