Lok Sabha Question No. 1270 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-19
Subject: Assistance Provided to Stranded Migrant Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Rahul Gandhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1270 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.09.2020

## ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO STRANDED MIGRANT WORKERS

1270. SHRI RAHUL GANDHI:

Will  the  Minister  of  LABOUR  AND  EMPLOYMENT  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)the details of the assistance provided to stranded migrant workers during  the COVID-19 pandemic, including provision for shelter and food;
- (b)the  State-wise  details  of  distress  calls  received  from  workers, especially migrant workers regarding nonpayment of wages, termination  of  employment  and  request  for  shelter  and  food  and measures taken to redress the same;
- (c)whether the Government proposes to set up a national database of inter-State migrant workers and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)whether the Government proposes to set up a separate welfare fund for inter-State migrant workers not covered under any other welfare funds; and
- (e)if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

- (a) to (e): Immediately  after  the  lockdown  in  the  wake  of  Covid-19 pandemic, directions were issued from Ministry of Labour & Employment  to  all  the  State  Governments/UTs  to  provide  financial assistance to construction workers from Building & Other Construction Workers'  Cess  Fund. It is estimated  that a high proportion of migrant workers are construction workers.

Till date 1.83 crore construction workers have been provided approximately  Rs.  5000  crore  directly  in  their  bank  accounts  from Building & Other Construction Workers' Cess Fund being maintained by various States.

In  order  to  resolve  the  grievances  of  migrant  workers during lockdown, Ministry set up 20 Control Rooms across the country. During  lockdown,  more  than  15000  complaints  of  the  workers  were resolved through these Control Rooms and due to the intervention of Ministry  more  than  two  lakh  workers  were  paid  their  due  wages amounting to about Rs. 295 crore.

After  the  lockdown,  Pradhan  Mantri  Garib  Kalyan  Yojana with  a  financial  package  of  Rs.  1.7  lakh  crore  was  launched  to  help poor,  needy  and  unorganised  sector  workers  of  the  country.    Under this  package,  around  80  crore  persons  have  been  provided  5  Kg. Wheat/Rice and 1 Kg. pulses, free of cost. The food grains will now be provided  upto  November,  2020  to  all  the  beneficiaries.    Aim  of  the Government  is  to  ensure  that  no  one  is  without  food  during  this pandemic and challenging time.

Per day wages under MGNREGA have been enhanced from

Rs. 182 to Rs. 202.

PM  SVANidhi  Scheme  to  facilitate  collateral  free  working capital loan upto Rs.10,000/- of one-year tenure, to approximately, 50

lakh street vendors, to resume their businesses.

In  order  to  facilitate  employment  of  migrant  workers  who have  gone  back  to  their  Home  State,  Pradhan  Mantri  Garib  Kalyan Rojgar  Abhiyan  has  been  initiated  in  116  districts  in  Mission  Mode. with involvement  of  these  migrant  workers  and  about  Rs.  50,000/-  crores

Under this campaign, rural infrastructure would be built would be spent for this purpose.

Rupees Twenty lakh  crore  financial  package  under  'Aatm Nirbhar Bharat' has been launched specifically to create employment opportunities,  for  migrant  workers,  workers  of  unorganized  sector, strengthening of MSME Sector and promoting rural economy.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has launched a scheme for Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHCs), which  is  a  sub-Scheme  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Awas  Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) to create vibrant, sustainable & inclusive Affordable Rental Housing avenues for urban migrants/poor.

Beneficiaries  for  ARHCs  will  be  from          Economically Weaker  Section  (EWS)/Low  Income  Group  (LIG)  category  including industrial  workers,  migrants  working  with  market/trade  associations, term educational/health institutions, hospitality sector, long tourists/visitors, students etc.

In  order  to  provide  minimum  financial  assistance  to  the workers through their EPF Account, Ministry of Labour & Employment has  permitted  all  the  EPF  members  to  withdraw  75%  of  their  total provident  fund  deposited  in  their  EPF  Account.    Till  date,  about

Rs. 39,000/- crore have been withdrawn by the member of EPFO.

It  has  been  decided  to  extend  the  scheme  of  Atal  Beemit Kalyan  Yojana  being  implemented  by  Employees  State  Insurance Corporation (ESIC) for another one year i.e. from 1 st  July, 2020 to 30 th June, 2021. It has also been  decided  to enhance  the  rate of unemployment relief under the scheme to 50% of wages from earlier rate  of  25%  along  with  relaxation  of  eligibility  conditions  for  insured workers who have lost their employment due to COVID-19 pandemic and  related  lockdown.  The  enhanced  relief  and  relaxed  eligibility conditions are applicable for the period 24.03.2020 to 31.12.2020.

Ministry of Labour & Employment envisages development of a  National  Database  for  Unorganized  Workers  (NDUW)  seeded  with Aadhaar for all unorganized workers. The project will enroll Unorganized  Workers  including  Migrant  Workers  to  help  them  get employment and other assistance.

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