COVID-19: Reverse Migration of Labour and the Longer Road to SDGs, Documenting Coronavirus Pandemic as a News Correspondent

Abstract

The unprecedented economic crisis that wipes off progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been unleashed by COVID-19 pandemic. An unprecedented rise in hunger, poverty and unemployment worldwide has exposed the fault lines and structural weaknesses in the existing social security regime worldwide, making hundreds of millions of people food insecure and more vulnerable to be pushed into extreme poverty. It has pushed the world backwards by several years by reversing the progress achieved towards implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to reduce hunger and poverty. United Nations Secretary General has warned in his latest progress report (May 2020) on the implementation status of SDGs that COVID-19 crisis is pushing tens of millions of people back into extreme poverty and hunger. The pandemic crisis has also been an acid test for the Indian and global media: while the extensive coverage of COVID-19 has strengthened Crisis Communication measures, questions have also been raised with regard to the content, intent and attempt to restrict the institutional flow of official information related with the pandemic. This Paper documents the sequence of events that followed imposition of a nation-wide Lockdown from the midnight of 25 March 2020 which crippled economic activities. It caused an unprecedented ‘reverse’ migration by millions of migrant workers from India’s leading urban and industrial sectors, which has far-reaching ramification for the future of Indian economy. It is based on my first-hand ground reports during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in New Delhi, Ghaziabad and Faridabad and the official reports and documents released by Prime Minister’s Office; Ministries of Home, Finance, Health, Rural Development and Information & Broadcasting; Parliament of India; World Health Organization; World Bank; International Labour Organization; United Nations; Industry Associations; economic research institutions and the Reserve Bank of India.