Hyderabad, Apr 14 (IANS): Around 150 migrant workers, who were trying to go to Andhra Pradesh on foot, were persuaded by a Telangana Minister to stay back, here on Tuesday.

The daily wagers from Maredpally in Secunderabad had gathered with their wives and children at Habsiguda to leave for their villages in the Srikakulam district, over 700 km from here, in Andhra Pradesh.

With the lockdown extended till May 3, they wanted to return to their villages. "How can we survive here. We have no money to pay the rent. By going back to our homes, we will survive somehow," said a woman.

When the officials told them that on reaching Andhra Pradesh they would be kept in 14-day isolation, the labourers said they were ready for that.

Local legislator B. Subhash Reddy and Telangana Minister T. Srinivas Yadav succeeded in convincing them to stay in Hyderabad. Vehicles were arranged to take them to their rented places in the city. They were promised to be given Rs 500 each and 12 kg rice per head, as announced by the state government.

The Minister said the homeowners would be asked to defer the rent.

The incident occurred a few hours after Yadav said the government was extending all help to 1.80 lakh migrant workers in Greater Hyderabad. He also claimed that 95,000 workers were being provided free meals daily through Annapurna canteens.

However, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) said on Tuesday rice and cash were being distributed among nearly 40,000 migrants.

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