Eminent citizens, civil society organisations and advocacy groups from Odisha have demanded setting up of a National Task Force to address the difficulties faced by migrant workers due to the nationwide lockdown.
Migrant labourers are stranded in different parts of the country amidst a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus. While state and Centre have tried to provide them with shelter and food, concerns have been raised in view of the lockdown being extended beyond April 14.
The need for a task force has become urgent in view of the imminent extension of the lockdown by another fortnight, according to the Citizens’ Action Group (CAG) on Corona, Odisha.
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The Citizens’s Action Group, a collective of eminent citizens, civil society organisations and public advocacy groups in Odisha, said they were deeply concerned about the recent violence involving Odia migrant workers in Gujarat’s Surat city. Incidents such as these reinforce the need and urgency for better interstate coordination and a well-calibrated strategy to deal with the problem, the group said.
“We urge the prime minister to not lose time and set up a National Task Force, which could oversee interstate coordination, monitoring and resolution of issues relating to migrant workers,” said CAG co-convenor Umi Daniel.
According to the group, the proposed national task force should ideally be set up in the Prime Minister’s Office, with representations from key central ministries such as Labour, Home Affairs, Railways, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Health and Family Welfare and states most affected by the issues.
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The task force should hold periodic reviews and provide necessary guidelines on handling issues relating to migrant workers. It should advise the labour sending and recipient states to exchange information about the stranded workers and coordinate their smooth movement.
Odisha counts among states that send most migrant workers employed in the economically better-off parts of the country. Addressing their interests is one of the biggest challenges confronting the government of the state, the CAG said.
The CAG has also suggested a 10-point action plan for the state government. It has urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to constitute a special state-level task force for coordinating and reaching out to migrant workers both in and outside Odisha:
1. Identify migrant workers living in distress in urban slums, mining clusters and other state-run and corporate projects and provide them with food, supplies and medical support.
2. Consider a special employment generation program for migrant workers in urban areas.
3. Immediately release Rs 1500 in assistance to workers registered with the Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board.
4. Set up panchayat-level information centers registration of migrant returnees and link them up with effective quarantine, facilitate social inclusion and create access to government entitlements.
5. Design a special social and economic package for migrant returnees and particularly families undergoing self-quarantine should be initiated. Set up district-level helplines to educate on quarantine procedures, provide mental health support and access to government support.
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6. MGNREGA wage in advance should be paid to self migrants/ families who undergo quarantine for a period of 14 days.
7. Provide long-term livelihood and employment support keeping in mind these may be needed for at least 6-9 months or even more until the broader national economy begins to recover.
8. Provide legal and other support that may be needed for migrants who have been duped in such times of distress. A mechanism involving the State Legal Service Authorities,
9. Department of Labour and civil society groups may be designed to register complaints of nonpayment of salary and other labour welfare if any.
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10. Document and consolidate data on migrant workers, the lack of which now has severely impeded effective intervention by government authorities.
