Lok Sabha Question No. 4243 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Repetition of Migrant Crisis
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: S. Jagathrakshakan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4243 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2021

## REPETITION OF MIGRANT CRISIS

4243. SHRI S. JAGATHRAKSHAKAN:

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

- (a)whether the Government has thought out any strategy to avoid the repetition of the migrant crisis the nation witnessed in the beginning of the lockdown;
- (b)whether  there  is  any  proposal  for  registration  of  migrants  or  the safety standards that could ensure that the crisis is not repeated; and
- (c)the measures taken/to be taken by the Government in this regard, since  there  is  a  need  to  reduce  stigmatisation  of  homecoming migrant  workers  and  their  families  by  special  initiative  by  the Panchayat, self-help groups, NGOs?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): The migration related problems are sought to be addressed by a multi-pronged course of action through rural development, provision of improved infrastructural facilities, equitable dispersal of resources to remove  regional  disparities,  employment  generation,  land  reforms, increased literacy, financial assistance and various  Government welfare and social security schemes.

(b): Ministry of Labour & Employment is in the process of developing of a comprehensive National Data base of the Unorganised Workers (NDUW)  to collect relevant information of unorganised workers  including  migrant  workers  and  inter-alia  help  in  delivery  of various  social  security  and  welfare  schemes  being  implemented  for them. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare alongwith State Governments  have  already  undertaken  a  massive  vaccination  drive and  awareness  campaign  on  covid-19  health  protocol  among  the citizens to obviate the crisis in future.

(c): The  global  spread  of  the  corona  virus  (COVID-19)  followed  by lockdowns has affected economies across the globe. Government has taken several steps to ensure that the country is well prepared to face the  challenges  and  threats  posed  by  Covid-19.  The  details  of  the remedial measures taken by the Government to provide assistance to the affected workers are enclosed at the Annexure. These measures and  awareness  campaigns  have  directly  or  indirectly  ensured  that there is no stigmatisation of home coming migrant workers.

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## Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part    (c)    of  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.  4243    for 22.03.2021 regarding Repetition of Migrant Crisis.

1. In  order  to  resolve  the  grievances  of  migrant  workers  during  lockdown,  Ministry  of  Labour  and Employment  set  up  20  Control  Rooms  all  over  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 crores.

2.  Various  initiatives  have  been  taken  by  the  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment  as  part  of  Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana(PMGKY) and Atmanirbhar Bharat which, interalia, include (i) payment of 12% employers' share and 12% employees' share under Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), totalling 24% by the  Government  of  India  for  six  wage  months  from  March  to  August,  2020  for  all  the  establishments having up to 100 employees with 90% of such employees earning less than Rs.15,000 monthly wage; (ii) reduction  in  PF  contribution  from  12%  to  10%  of  wages  for  the  wage  months  of  May,  June  and  July, 2020; (iii) non-refundable Covid advance from the PF by amending the EPF Scheme, 1952; (iv) extension in the date of filing of returns; (v) issuing advisory to promptly attend to distress calls of workers/employees and also guide them in temporary shelters; and (vi) for taking preventive measures to contain the spread of Covid - 19.

3. Approximately  80  crore  beneficiaries  have  been  provided  additional  5  kg  wheat  or  rice  and  1  kg  of preferred pulses, free of cost every month till November, 2020 under provisions of National Food Security Act.

4. In  response  to  the  Government  of  India's  directions,  the  State  Welfare  Boards  have  cumulatively disbursed around Rs.5618 crore, to approx. 1.83 crore Building and Other Construction (BOC) Workers during lockdown and thereafter. In addition to this, around 30 lakh BOC workers were also provided food relief packages.

5 .  Further,  in  order  to  boost  employment  and  livelihood  opportunities  for  migrant  workers,  returning  to villages,  in  the  wake  of  COVID-19  outbreak,  Ministry  of  Rural  Development,  Government  of  India launched Garib  Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan on  20th June 2020. The Abhiyaan focussed on durable rural infrastructure and providing modern facilities like internet in the villages. Skill Mapping of the rural migrant labour was also done to enhance their employability on the basis of the skills, they possess, to enable them work closer to their  homes. The Abhiyaan involves intensified and focused implementation of 25 target driven works to provide employment and create infrastructure in the rural areas of 116 districts of 6 States with a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crore. The Abhiyaan has already generated 50,78,68,671 man-days.

6. For the benefit of 50 lakh street vendors, Government of India has also launched SVANidhi Scheme to provide them collateral free working capital loan upto Rs.10,000/- to resume their lost livelihood due to Covid and lock-down.

7. To provide employment to the migrant workers Ministry of Transport and Highways has identified the ongoing works/new works for the road construction.

8. In rural areas, wages under MGNREGA have been enhanced from Rs.182 to Rs.202 per day for the benefit of rural workers including returning migrant workers.

9 .  Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries  have  sanctioned  700  food  processing/preservation  and infrastructure projects in which migrant labourers can be  employed.

10 .Financial package of Rupees Twenty Seven lakh crore (aprox) under 'Aatm Nirbhar Bharat' has been launched  specifically  to  inter-alia  create  employment  opportunities,  for  migrant  workers,  workers  of unorganized  sector,  strengthening  of  MSME  Sector  and  promoting  rural  economy.  It  includes  several initiatives for all these sectors.

11 .    Ministry  of  Labour  &  Employment    has  taken  the  decision  to  extend  the  scheme  of  Atal  Beemit Kalyan Yojna for another one year i.e. from 1st 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.

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