Lok Sabha Question No. 1877 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-14
Subject: Migrant Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Sunil Kumar Singh, Devji Mansingram Patel, Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangre, Pradeep Kumar Singh, Ranjeetsingh Naik Nimbalkar, Arun Sao, Shivkumar Chanabasappa Udasi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1877

TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.03.2022

## MIGRANT WORKERS

## 1877. SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SINGH:

SHRI DEVJI M. PATEL:

SHRI SUDHAKAR TUKARAM SHRANGARE:

SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH:

SHRI RANJEETSINGH HINDURAO NAIK NIMBALKAR:

SHRI ARUN SAO:

SHRI SHIVAKUMAR C. UDASI:

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

- (a)whether  there  is  any  institutional  mechanism  to  address  different types of human rights violations against inter-state migrant workers;
- (b)if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (c)the  fresh  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  provide  for  health services, social protection, education services, housing and sanitation,  food,  water  and  other  utilities  for  migrant  workers particularly  in  Delhi,  Maharashtra,  Karnataka,  Gujarat,  Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Punjab?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a) & (b): National  Human  Rights  Commission  addresses  different types  of  human  right  violations  of  all  citizens  including  inter-state migrant workers. For this purpose there are various laws which interalia  include  the  Contract  Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act,  1970, the  Inter-State  Migrant  Workmen  (Regulation  of  Employment  and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979, the Building and Other Construction Workers  (Regulation  of  Employment  and  Conditions  of  Service)  Act, 1996, the Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act, 2008, Minimum

Wages  Act,  1948,  the  Bonded  Labour  System  (Abolition)  Act,  1976, the Sexual Harassment Of Women At Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition  And  Redressal)  Act,  2013,  the  Prevention  of  Atrocities (Scheduled  Caste  and  Scheduled  Tribes)  Act,  1989  and  the  Indian Penal Code, 1860.

(c): Migrant labourers work in various occupations. There are several social security and welfare schemes for workers engaged in such  occupations  including  migrant  workers.  The  details  are  as follows;  Pradhan  Mantri  Awas  Yojana  (Gramin)  and  Pradhan  Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), both launched in 2015, aim to provide housing for all by 2022. Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) launched in 2015 provide for life & disability cover due to natural or accidental death. Pradhan  Mantri  Shram  Yogi  Man  Dhan  Pension  Scheme  (PM-SYM) launched  in  March,  2019  provides  for  old  age  social  security  in  the form  of  monthly  pension.  Ayushman  Bharat  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan Arogya  Yojana  (PMJAY)  launched  in  2018  provides  Rs.5  lakh  health coverage for secondary and tertiary health benefits to all unorganized workers  including  migrant  workers  who  are  covered  as  eligible beneficiaries  as  per  Socio  Economic  Caste  census  Data,  2011. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has recently launched a  scheme  called  Affordable  Rental  Housing  Complexes  (ARHC)  to address  the  accommodation  needs  of  migrant  workers.  One  Nation One  Ration  Card  Scheme  has  facilitated  portability  of  provisions  of ration through PDS shops across the country for the migrant workers and their families. However, during Covid - 19 pandemic period, Union Government has taken several additional measures for the benefits of workers,  such  as;  creation  of  39.51  lakh  new  job  opportunities  by crediting Rs.2583 crores in EPF accounts under Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY), benefits of Rs.2567 crores to retain 38.91 lakh low  wage  employees  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Garib  Kalyan  Yojana (PMGKY),  financial  assistance  of  Rs.7413  crore  to  Building  &  other Construction  Workers  (BOCW),  unemployment  benefit  under  Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana (ABVKY), Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Rojgar  Abhiyan  (PMGKRA)  generating  50.78  crore  mandays  with Rs.39,293  crores,  working  capital  loan  to  street  vendors  under  PMSVA Nidhi Scheme, free food grain of 5 kg per person per month to all Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) beneficiaries and special training  programme  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Vikas  Yojana  in the selected districts having high concentration of returnee migrant workers.

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