Story of the nowhere people (The huge human crisis of migrant workers in India)

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 Story of the nowhere people (The huge human crisis of migrant workers in India)

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• Jubilation and a crisis: Indians were happy to participate a nationwide lockdown to stem the tide of the virus, but a parallel crisis was brewing - the pitiable condition of crores of migrant workers, left to fend for themselves. Clearly, their situation was not anticipated by the governments.
• Fundamental question: Why are migrants in such a situation, since before the pandemic? Who are these migrants and why are they marginalised for so long?
• Bare facts:

1. 50% of Delhi and Mumbai lives in slums and shanties.
2. Governments try to help - after the lockdown, many were provided rations, money and hot meals.
3. Then why were so many seen complaining of hunger, and walking back to their villages?
4. Are those living in slums all migrant labourers, or they are different (with little or no local rights)?

• Legal provisions and ground realities:

1. Urban development is the job of municipal governments, and that includes 'migration management’
2. States have the power to legislate on urban matters, and they often do so based on political advantage
3. For welfare schemes implementation, migrants are often not equated withs state residents. That includes minimum wages, housing and voting.
4. Indian states generally are 'migrant unfriendly' (World Bank report)
5. States have reservations in govt. jobs and higher education, and foodgrain distribution or social welfare is only for own citizens
6. Being friendly towards migrants is often suicidal (example - Marathi manoos syndrome)
7. Constitution gives citizens the right to reside and settle anywhere in India - no permissions needed. States are wary of making laws to regulate migrant settlements. 
8. Migrants are indispensable, but are unsupportable!

• What they do get: Migrants can access hospitals and get treated, but they never get homes. After many years of local stay, some migrants may get an election card and a ration card. Seasonal workers are different from migrants, as they come with family from day one (migrants come alone in the beginning).
• Scale of inter-state migration: It was at least 90 lakh per year between 2011 to 2016, and Census 2011 had found it to be 14 crores (inter- and intra-state). Migrants may be upto 10 per cent of the labour force.
• Pandemic message: It became clear that leaving the migrants to their own, is a bad idea as it puts entire populations at immediate risk. Slums can spread diseases rapidly. It is time for states to start registering every migrant. Entitlements can then flow.
• Summary : So far, migrants have been left to fend for themselves, but in the post-COVID world, it clearly looks like a bad strategy with a lot of downside.

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