Review migrant labourer situation, collect numbers: Cabinet secretary to states

Days after unrest among migrant labourers were witnessed in some cities, the Centre on Thursday asked states to immediately undertake a review of the situation and conduct an exercise to ascertain the number of those stranded in cities following the COVID-19 lockdown.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba shot off letters to State Chief Secretaries and Union Territory Administrators asking them to immediately appoint nodal officers, if not already appointed, for coordinating and monitoring issues related to migrant labourers. In metropolitan areas, Municipal Commissioners may be assigned the responsibility of implementation of welfare measures.

He asked the state governments to instruct District Collectors to immediately undertake a review of the situation concerning migrant labourers, as there were reports of unrest among migrant labourers in Surat in Gujarat and Bandra in Maharashtra. There were also reports about migrant labourers stranded in Delhi's Yamuna Ghat.

Gauba also asked the states to undertake a comprehensive enumeration of migrant labourers and stranded persons and make all necessary arrangements for providing food and shelter for them.

In his letter, he also said every relief camp meant for migrant labourers should be under the charge of a senior officer.

"They may also enlist the support of civil society organizations and the network of mid-day meal facilities to provide food for all the stranded persons and migrant labourers during the period of lockdown. Psycho-social counseling may also be provided to such persons, as per guidelines issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in this regard," it said.

He also reminded the states to ensure effective implementation of detailed guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs for ensuring safety, shelter and food security of migrant labourers.

As the lockdown has been extended to May 3, stranded migrant labourers' hope to return to the villages have been delayed. With no work, many are staring at income loss as well as job loss and have been demanding that they should be let to go back home.

Protests demanding they be sent back to their villages were recently witnessed in Bandra and Surat.