New Delhi, April 10 -- Amid early signs of migrant labour movement back to their hometowns, the government is planning to shortly announce targeted steps, including subsidized community kitchens and assured cooking gas supply, to retain migrant workers in the country's key manufacturing hubs, two people in the know said. The proposal, discussed at a finance ministry-led meeting on 8 April, seeks to stabilize labour supply amid rising cost of living and fuel supply constraints due to the Iran war, and to prevent disruption to the vulnerable medium and small industries, they said.

The meeting, conducted in a hybrid-mode, was attended by senior officials from the ministries of finance and MSME as well as industry representatives. It took up...