What is Migrant Workers?
Historical Background
Key Points
7 points- 1.
Characteristics: Often employed in the informal sector, low wages, precarious working conditions, lack of social security, temporary housing, and limited access to public services.
- 2.
Vulnerabilities: Susceptible to exploitation by contractors, wage theft, poor living conditions, health risks, and lack of legal protection.
- 3.
Economic Contribution: Significant contributors to the economy of destination states (e.g., construction, manufacturing, agriculture) and source states (through remittances).
- 4.
Challenges: Lack of portability of social benefits, absence of identity documents recognized across states, language barriers, and discrimination.
- 5.
Legal Framework: The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979, aimed to regulate their employment and provide for their conditions of service, though it has largely been ineffective.
- 6.
Government Initiatives: Schemes like One Nation One Ration Card, e-Shram portal for registration, and various state-level welfare boards.
- 7.
Impact of COVID-19: Mass exodus during lockdown highlighted their extreme vulnerability, lack of social safety nets, and inadequate government data.
Visual Insights
Understanding Migrant Workers
Mind map showing the key aspects related to migrant workers, including their challenges, legal framework, and government initiatives.
Migrant Workers
- ●Challenges
- ●Legal Framework
- ●Government Initiatives
Recent Developments
5 developmentsImplementation of One Nation One Ration Card scheme to ensure food security portability.
Launch of e-Shram portal for registration of unorganised workers, including migrants, to extend social security benefits.
Inclusion of provisions for migrant workers in the new Labour Codes (e.g., Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020).
Increased focus on data collection and policy formulation post-COVID-19 migrant crisis.
Debates on urban planning and housing solutions for migrant populations.