Photo by Ashok Sinha
Photo by Ashok Sinha
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Advisory Guidelines to States Governments for the welfare of Migrant Workers returning to destination states in the backdrop of COVID-19
New Delhi: Acceding to demands of the employers’ organisations, the government has issued guidelines to states advising preparation of a proper database of migrant workers.
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On May 8, in the midst of mass exodus of migrant workers from their workplaces in face of pandemic threat and joblessness, various employers’ organizations had told the government that the status of migrant labour was a matter of serious concern and called for the creation of a databank of migrant labour.
Also read: The status of Migrant Labour is a matter of serious concern — employers’ organizations
On August 8, the government issued advisory guidelines to state governments for the “Welfare of Migrant Workers” returning to the destination States in the backdrop of Covid-19. It stated that preparation of a proper database was a preliminary step in order to identify and protect vulnerability among the migrant workers. “For this purpose, the State of Origin should collect the data in respect of migrant workers in the prescribed format, and this information should be shared with Destination States/UTs,” it recommended.
The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment further advised that the state government of origin and destination states should ensure enrolment of migrant workers in various social security and welfare schemes of the State Government/Central Government.
Further, the data in the format attached for workers not covered in any of the schemes mentioned therein should also be shared with Director General of Labour Welfare to facilitate coverage of such workers under social security schemes.
The ministry recommended this data to be shared with the concerned Labour authorities to facilitate compliance with the existing labour laws relating to wages, occupational safety and health and working conditions.
For the welfare of the workers, it advised the state government of origin and destination States to ensure enrolment of eligible migrant workers in Ayushman Bharat Scheme. and said the state Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Boards could incur the expenditure on account of payment of the premium for insurance schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana(PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana(PMSBY) for eligible construction workers. Further, the registered workers in BOCW Boards should be encouraged to enrol under PMSYM and other welfare schemes, it recommended.
The other points in the advisory guidelines were as follows:
The States/UTs may nominate a State level Nodal Officer and also district/block/tehsil wise Nodal officer for migrant workers to co-ordinate all the issues relating to them. The Nodal officers of the State of origin and the destination State/UTs may hold periodical review meetings (through Video Conferencing) on regular basis.
The Government(s) of State of Origin and Destination State should ensure screening and testing of migrant workers as per the protocol devised by the Ministry of Health & family Welfare in respect of COVID-19. Further, the migrant worker should not be put to any financial burden on account of testing and any treatment/quarantine required to be undertaken by them.
The State/UT of origin should provide face masks, sanitizer and soaps to the migrant workers at the time of screening before departing to the Destination State/UT.
The State Government should ensure periodical medical examination of the migrant workers in coordination with the state/UTs health department/ESIC/Hospitals and dispensaries under the Director General of Labour Welfare.
The labour department of the State should be asked to educate and create awareness about social security and welfare schemes amongst migrant workers and the employers.
Vulnerable migrant workers should be identified and provision for their ration in time of need should be ensured by the district administration under prevailing schemes of central/state government.
The establishments should be advised to ensure availability of adequate quantity of sanitizers, face masks, soaps at the workplace and to maintain social distancing norms.
The employers should also be encouraged to provide one time transportation allowance/journey fare to migrant workers.
Employers should also be encouraged to provide wages as per the prevailing labour laws, facilitate provision for suitable housing arrangement and ensure enrolment of the migrant workmen in existing social security and welfare schemes.
The State Governments/UTs of destination and origin state/UTs must take all measures to prevent any adverse effect on the education of children of migrant workers. The enrolment of the children of migrant workers in schools where they are staying must be ensured by concerned state government/UT.
The State Governments/UTs should endeavour to provide an online single window grievance redressal system including a toll free helpline number to assist the migrant workers in distress. Adequate publicity of this helpline should be ensured. The establishments should also be advised to display the helpline number where migrant workers in distress can lodge their grievances.
The State/UTs labour departments should be advised to ensure that the welfare provisions such as displacement allowance, provision for housing facility etc. mentioned in the Inter State Migrant Workmen (RECS) Act, 1979 are implemented.
The State Governments/UTs should monitor periodical situations, circumstances and activities affecting the migrant workers and take proactive approach accordingly.
– globalbihari bureau
