India’S Migrant Issue During Covid-19: A Crisis Within a Crisis

Abstract

The situation of migrant labourers in India has been characterized with insufficient wages, irregular and unorganized employment conditions, lack of financial security and a constant struggle to make ends meet for survival and livelihood. According to the figures of Census 2011, India witnessed movement of around 4.5 crore migrant workers in the year 2011. 2 In spite of the massive and indeed continuous contribution of migrant workers in the growth and development of small-scale businesses, enterprises and industries ultimately adding a significant percentage to the national economy, their socio-economic conditions remain precarious and has worsened even more in the past year of crisis. The Corona Virus officially called as the COVID-19 virus started as an epidemic affecting only a few parts of the world in small communities or regions unexpectedly took a dramatic turn and spread across the globe in no time forcing the governments across nations to shut down schools, colleges, workplaces and every other activity part of our daily normal life. The first case of COVID-19 in India was reported in January 2020 and soon after the world shut down, the Prime Minister of India announced a 21-day national lockdown under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 which gives power to the Central Government to impose restrictions and pass specific policies with the aim of managing the disaster and thereby preventing its risks. 3 Globally, the World Health Organisation officially announced on 4th April 2020 that the world had crossed 1 million cases with emphasis on the tenfold increase in the previous month i.e. March 2020. 4 At the time of such a chaotic health crisis faced in the recent years of modern history, it was obvious that the misery would be unequally directed towards the most disadvantaged and socio-economically backward sections of society. Moreover, the disadvantaged class were rendered even more helpless without any safety net or government support when the announcement of lockdown came without any prior intimation to the public. While a huge chunk of the privileged population of the country faced the pandemic inside the safe walls of their comfortable homes with all facilities, the migrant labourers on the flipside suffered and fought the pandemic in the scorching summer heat while struggling to meet the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. Being a democratic state that chooses its own representatives through the process of Universal Adult Franchise, it is bare minimum to expect a sense of responsibility and full disclosure of information from the authorities especially such information that has potential to immediately disrupt the survival and daily functioning of a large section of society. Mere prior notice could also aid them in the process of preparation and prevent any additional damage to their health and livelihood.