Covid-19 exposes : Errors in India's migrant policy
Covid-19 exposes : Errors in India's migrant policy
( Besides addressing the immediate distress conditions of migrants, the states need to think of long - term solutions )
Introduction : Migration is the necessary & it can't be stopped but the way of migration & living conditions of the migrants people can be changed. Some errors has emerged from India's migrant policy due to Coronavirus crisis. Seasonal migration is one of the most critical issues of our time. It has become a mammoth problem for Indian government in amid of this crisis. Covid-19 has ,the first time, brought migration to the center stage of public health and disaster response in India. In the past, a mass exodus would take place because of a disaster such as a famine, drought, flood & regional conflicts. It would be take place in a area where such a calamity was unfolding. Now there are new narratives of mass exodus caused by demonetization, violence against migrants people, and the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of Novel coronavirus. What is common in these narratives is the decisive role played by the state or lack of it. It is in the context of states action, the migrants have drawn sharp attention on the debate of the errors in Indian migrant policy.
1.) The numbers involved are very high
Let's take the example of Bihar which has the population of about to 123 million. The number of migrants in Bihar is estimated to be close to 10 million, in which 3 million may be inter - state migrants. According to the census 2011 data, 2 million migrants are daily wage workers in the Bihar. The months of February & March are a lean season in rural to rural migration. If we take the example of national capital region where, as data suggest, 20 % of Bihari migrants are working. We are referring to 0.28 to 0.3 million seasonal migrants. Even if half of them try to return home during any crisis, the problems of transportation & food security are inevitable.
According to the census 2011
👉 UP & Bihar are responsible for the most number of outside migrants as 20.9 million people work outside from these two States
👉 Delhi & Mumbai are widely considered as migrant magnets because of 9.9 million people work in the both of cities from the other states
👉UP has the highest share of out-migrants while Maharashtra has the highest share of in- migrants. Most of people migrate from one state to another state for economic purpose (work, business & education). If we success to produce employment & quality education in our own state, the half of inter-state migration can be stopped. A problem of bringing back of inter-state stranded migrants emerges, during any contagious crises, when the states are unable to providing employment, job scopes & basic education. For a long term solution, States need to do this.
2.) The pathetic working & living conditions of migrants
The poor living & working conditions of migrants are remain unchanged since India became independent. The condition of before 1947 and till the year 2020 is alike, nothing has been changed in fever to migrants workers. Only governments have changed for them. Slums & slum- like colonies are breeding grounds of ailments & contagious diseases. People living in these colonies can't maintain the social distancing as houses are just overlapping to one another. They have no access to sanitisation, safe drinking water, health services, hygiene & normal social security. And, it defy the decent work & general security.
Nobody can't control any communicable disease in these slums, for instance - Dharavi colony, Mumbai.
Governments need to pay attention on these slums as well as possible. They need to change the housing structure & working conditions of migrants workers.
3.) In the case of epidemics
The exodus of seasonal migrants creates apprehension about the spread of contagious disease and runs counterproductive to the very purpose of a lockdown. Working from home or getting paid leave is largely a middle class luxury. Daily wage earners don't have capacity to stay at a destination without any work. Their families back home depend on their daily savings. Lots of workers live within the manufacturing units or at work sites, to stop economic activities due to a lockdown, results to loss their accomodation too.
Governments need to create jobs & employment for daily wage earners for their livelihood at near their houses. MGNREGA is the best policy like "work from home" for daily wages labourers to earn their livelihoods.
Other options can be created for stranded migrants 'like work from home', if governments think big.
4.) Migrants are the backbone of Indian Economy.
India's economy, particularly of the growth centers, depends on the services of the migrants workers. Sector such as construction, garment manufacturing, mining & agriculture would come to a standstill without them. One of the biggest challenges after the lockdown is lifted will be the bring back of migrants to kickstart these sectors.
5.) The return of migrants brings to the source States an economic shock as there are no compensatory sources of livelihood. The poor states may find it difficult to sustain themselves without the remittances. This will not only cause demand side setbacks but also Impact nutrition, health, education & the well being of the older population.
Conclusion: Disasters provide opportunities to correct structural wrongs. The state must work out a strategy of addressing the immediate distress conditions and simultaneously initiating the long term measures to bring structural changes in the policy towards the migrants and informal sector.
1.) The numbers involved are very high
Let's take the example of Bihar which has the population of about to 123 million. The number of migrants in Bihar is estimated to be close to 10 million, in which 3 million may be inter - state migrants. According to the census 2011 data, 2 million migrants are daily wage workers in the Bihar. The months of February & March are a lean season in rural to rural migration. If we take the example of national capital region where, as data suggest, 20 % of Bihari migrants are working. We are referring to 0.28 to 0.3 million seasonal migrants. Even if half of them try to return home during any crisis, the problems of transportation & food security are inevitable.
According to the census 2011
👉 UP & Bihar are responsible for the most number of outside migrants as 20.9 million people work outside from these two States
👉 Delhi & Mumbai are widely considered as migrant magnets because of 9.9 million people work in the both of cities from the other states
👉UP has the highest share of out-migrants while Maharashtra has the highest share of in- migrants. Most of people migrate from one state to another state for economic purpose (work, business & education). If we success to produce employment & quality education in our own state, the half of inter-state migration can be stopped. A problem of bringing back of inter-state stranded migrants emerges, during any contagious crises, when the states are unable to providing employment, job scopes & basic education. For a long term solution, States need to do this.
2.) The pathetic working & living conditions of migrants
The poor living & working conditions of migrants are remain unchanged since India became independent. The condition of before 1947 and till the year 2020 is alike, nothing has been changed in fever to migrants workers. Only governments have changed for them. Slums & slum- like colonies are breeding grounds of ailments & contagious diseases. People living in these colonies can't maintain the social distancing as houses are just overlapping to one another. They have no access to sanitisation, safe drinking water, health services, hygiene & normal social security. And, it defy the decent work & general security.
Nobody can't control any communicable disease in these slums, for instance - Dharavi colony, Mumbai.
Governments need to pay attention on these slums as well as possible. They need to change the housing structure & working conditions of migrants workers.
3.) In the case of epidemics
The exodus of seasonal migrants creates apprehension about the spread of contagious disease and runs counterproductive to the very purpose of a lockdown. Working from home or getting paid leave is largely a middle class luxury. Daily wage earners don't have capacity to stay at a destination without any work. Their families back home depend on their daily savings. Lots of workers live within the manufacturing units or at work sites, to stop economic activities due to a lockdown, results to loss their accomodation too.
Governments need to create jobs & employment for daily wage earners for their livelihood at near their houses. MGNREGA is the best policy like "work from home" for daily wages labourers to earn their livelihoods.
Other options can be created for stranded migrants 'like work from home', if governments think big.
4.) Migrants are the backbone of Indian Economy.
India's economy, particularly of the growth centers, depends on the services of the migrants workers. Sector such as construction, garment manufacturing, mining & agriculture would come to a standstill without them. One of the biggest challenges after the lockdown is lifted will be the bring back of migrants to kickstart these sectors.
5.) The return of migrants brings to the source States an economic shock as there are no compensatory sources of livelihood. The poor states may find it difficult to sustain themselves without the remittances. This will not only cause demand side setbacks but also Impact nutrition, health, education & the well being of the older population.
Conclusion: Disasters provide opportunities to correct structural wrongs. The state must work out a strategy of addressing the immediate distress conditions and simultaneously initiating the long term measures to bring structural changes in the policy towards the migrants and informal sector.
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