Government Initiatives for the Livelihood of Migrant Workers During and Post Lockdown

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic created one of the worst mass migration crises on the Indian subcontinent in recent times. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the global spread of novel corona virus, COVID-19 as a great pandemic. Indian migrant workers have confronted with many sufferings during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Coronavirus outbreak has created an adverse impact on the workforce in general and especially the migrant labourers. With factories and workplaces pack up thanks to the lockdown imposed within the country, many migrant workers had to affect the loss of income, food shortages and uncertainty about their future. Indian Railways have started running “Shramik special” trains from 1st May,2020, Labour Day, to move migrant workers and other persons stranded at different places due to Covid-19 lock down. Besides, a large number of migrant workers returned to their native states when the state borders were opened. The Government is also working on creating a database of migrant labourers so that they get the direct benefit of various welfare schemes. This paper tries to present various initiatives taken by the Government of India for the livelihood of Migrant Workers during and post lockdown and the lessons learnt from Covid-19 pandemic regarding Migrant Workers.