Table of Contents
Introduction
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that any state government which wants to employ migrant workers from his state will have to seek permission first.
Why such decision?
- UP CM said
- These workers are our biggest resource and will give them employment in Uttar Pradesh ”
- He added that migrant labourers were “not properly taken care of” by various states in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown
Problems Faced by Migrant workers
- After the lockdown, all the sections of the society faced the problem. But the people who once left their home and migrate to different states to feed their families two meals a day left with no food, no work, no accommodation.
- Fear, Hunger and Uncertainty over lockdown forced the people to forget the Corona and they wanted to go back home
- On 27th March, we have seen such incidents at Anand Vihar Bus Terminal
Story of a fruit Seller
- He told news correspondent that I live in a rented accommodation and it will become very difficult for us to give rent and bear us daily expenses.
- If police open the borders, we can walk all the way to Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh some 100 kilometres away.
- Due to this lockdown, my work got affected. From past one week, I have nothing to do.
I sell fruits, for which I have to go to Ghazipur mandi and police are not allowing us to go there
Migrant Worker peddled cycle for hours
- A migrant worker in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur stole a bicycle to reach his home town Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, which is 250 kilometers, along with his disabled son. Interestingly, the worker left behind an apology note for the cycle owner.
- The handwritten apology in Hindi reads, “I’m a labourer and also helpless. I am your culprit. I’m taking your bicycle. Forgive me. I have to go to Bareilly. I have no other means to reach and I have a specially-abled child.”
People died before reaching home
- A 39-year-old man, who worked as home delivery boy for a private restaurant in the national capital and was father of three, died in Agra after walking for about 200 Km
People died of fatigue and dehydration
- The trio set out on foot for their home states from Maharashtra.
- Their health deteriorated when they reached near Sendhwa on the Madhya Pradesh-Maharashtra border
- Fellow travelers took them to hospitals with the help of private and police vehicles, but all three were declared brought dead.
People died in accident
- Three migrant workers travelling from Gujarat to Uttar Pradesh were killed in a road accident in Barabanki, about 100 kms from their hometown. Four others also suffered serious injuries and have been referred to a hospital in Lucknow.
Even the State with maximum population wants to take advantage of the human resource
- UP CM said
- “These workers are our biggest resource and will give them employment in Uttar Pradesh”
- As this is the biggest resource for the government, UP is taking various steps to retain it and protecting their rights even if they move to other states
- “Any state or entity interested in inviting migrant workers will need to assure and provide for their socio-legal-monetary rights,”
Migrant Commission
- The UP CM also announced on Sunday that the state government has decided to set up a Migration Commission for employment of migrant labourers in the state.
- Insurance, social security, re-employment assistance, provision for unemployment allowance are some of the factors that will be looked into by the commission
States know that it is very difficult to boost economy after lockdown without cheap labour
- Various states are taking steps to stop the flow of migrants from their states.
- States are assuring them of food, work and accommodation.
- States even assured UP CM regarding the better conditions of migrant workers
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief
- Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray hit out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying labourers will have to seek nod of the Maharashtra government if they wish to work here.
- In a statement, he said
- “The Maharashtra government needs to take such things seriously. Any worker coming here to work should get duly registered with the government as well as local police. These workers should submit their documents and photographs as well,”
Legal Experts
- Legal experts, meanwhile said that requiring government permission for employing people could face a legal challenge as the Constitution guarantees the freedom of movement and residence and employment of workers.
- “Article 19 (1)(D) guarantees freedom to move freely, and 19(1)(e) the freedom to settled in any part of the country so the need for permission can be legally challenged,”