COVID-19 had a substantial impact on the Indian economy, with profound hardships faced especially by migrant workers. They had a difficult time as workplaces were shut down due to the nationwide lockdown to control the virus spread. Many found themselves without any income, leading to multiple challenges, such as food scarcity and future uncertainty.

Loss of Income and Food Shortage

With the government enforced shutdown of factories, workplaces, and other businesses, a significant population of migrant workers found themselves without an income source. This incapacitation led to food shortage issues as these workers struggled to afford daily meals, leading to hunger crises among them and their families.

Struggling to Return Home

Due to the sudden loss of jobs and the local transport shutdown as part of the lockdown measures, millions of workers were forced to make arduous journeys back to their homes. A study reveals that an estimated 43.3 million interstate workers had to return to their home residence during the initial wave of COVID-19-related lockdowns. An astounding number, around 35 million of them were compelled to walk home or resort to unusual forms of transportation due to the unavailability of regular transport services.

Fatalities During the Lockdown

The adverse conditions during the lockdown led to several fatalities among the migrant worker community. According to various reports, around 198 migrant workers died due to a myriad of reasons directly caused by the lockdown condition, such as road accidents.

Measures Taken by the Government

In response to the escalating crises faced by migrant workers during the pandemic, the Central and State Governments of India implemented a host of measures to provide aid. The government recognized their plight and acted by providing necessary relief to these workers and facilitating their transportation back home.

To mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19, the government launched financial assistance schemes for the protection of marginalized communities. Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), the government provided direct cash transfers, free ration, and cooking gas to the worker community.

Moreover, transportation arrangements were introduced eventually, under special conditions, for these workers to return to their respective home states safely. The Indian Railways initiated Shramik Special Trains to serve this purpose.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic has glaringly highlighted the vulnerabilities and complexities faced by migrant workers in India. While measures taken by the state and national governments provided temporary relief, a comprehensive policy relating to the welfare of migrant workers is essential to avoid similar crises in future scenarios.

Indian Food Distribution During Lockdown

Overview

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdown, the Indian government stated that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns had stored enough food grains to feed the poor citizens for a period of approximately 18 months. However, the distribution of this food supply encountered multiple obstacles.

Distribution Limitations

Several governmental schemes intended to ensure that additional food rations were provided to the poor during the lockdown period. Yet, the efficacy of these initiatives was compromised by varying factors. One significant issue was that ration cards in India are area-specific. This means that recipients can only obtain their allocated rations from certain specified shops, referred to as fair price shops. These shops became largely inaccessible during lockdown, creating challenges for card holders seeking to collect their rations.

The 'One Nation, One Ration Card' System

The 'One Nation, One Ration Card' system is a crucial strategy intended to address this challenge. Under this system, recipients of public distribution services (primarily migrants) can access food grains for free from anywhere in the country. However, until mid-April, this programme had only been implemented in a limited number of Indian states. Moreover, many eligible recipients appear to be unaware of the existence and potential benefits of this scheme.

Biometric Hurdles and Aadhaar Card Issue

A further complicating factor is that the 'One Nation, One Ration Card' system, requires biometric authentication in order to access benefits. This biometric authentication process was temporarily suspended during the pandemic due to concerns about the potential spread of the virus via shared fingerprint sensors.

In some regions, such as Telangana, an additional problem developed as numerous individuals who were eligible to receive rations did not possess Aadhaar cards. This significant database containing biometric and demographic data of residents is mandatory for accessing several benefits.

Impact on Migrants

The ramifications of these challenges became increasingly apparent as the lockdown continued. A survey conducted by ‘The Hindu’ newspaper, a leading Indian English-language daily newspaper, highlighted the scale of the problem. The survey report indicated that 96% of migrant workers did not receive government rations during the lockdown. Moreover, 90% of these workers did not receive their wages in the same period.

As a result, large numbers of lower-income individuals, particularly, migrant daily-wage workers, faced acute food insecurity and financial distress during the lockdown period. This suggests a need for improving the infrastructure of public distribution system, schemes and alleviating the obstacles associated with them.

Introduction

On 1st May, the Indian government gave the green light to the Indian Railways to start services of "Shramik Special" trains. These trains were initiated to help migrant labourers and others who were stuck due to the sudden imposition of the nationwide lockdown.

Trains for the Stranded

The Ministry of Home Affairs sent a mild note of caution to state governments on 3rd May. This was regarding the swift requests for trains to relocate migrant workers. The Home Ministry highlighted that these trains were primarily conceived to aid individuals stranded because of the unexpected lockdown, not particularly for migrant workers.

Moreover, the "Shramik Special" services were not offered free of cost. Travellers had to pay a surplus over the standard train fares.

Opposition Criticism and Government Response

The opposition, primarily the Indian National Congress, criticised the central government's decision to charge migrant labourers. In response, the party vowed to cover the cost of the workers' tickets on 4th May.

Following this, the government declared that the Indian Railways would give an 85% subsidy on the train fares. The respective state governments were expected to finance the remaining 15% of the ticket prices. Despite these measures, migrants were occasionally demanded to pay an undisclosed amount.

Initially, the central government refused to share details about ticket fares with the Supreme Court of India. However, they later confirmed that they were not financing any individual's fare.

The central government's instructions as to which states should finance the migrant's travel led to disagreements. One notable conflict was between Maharashtra and some other states over payment responsibilities.

Cancellation and Reinstatement of Trains

The Karnataka government abruptly cancelled the Shramik trains allegedly to support the construction industry. Similarly, the Bihar government denied providing a No-Objection Certificate to trains originating from Kerala. Both states, however, later reversed their decisions.

Hardships Faced by Migrants

Migrants faced significant difficulties while travelling on the Shramik Special trains. There were multiple accounts of lack of food and water provisions during the journey. In one instance, a train travelling from Goa to Manipur was delayed by 58 hours. Passengers complained about inadequate food or sanitation facilities on the train and violent stone-pelting incidents.

There were cases where food packets and water were haphazardly dumped at the entrances, resulting in fights between passengers for their share. Some passengers, unfortunately, lost their lives during these journeys. However, the Railways explained that most of these deceased individuals had pre-existing health conditions.

According to the Railway Protection Force, nearly 80 deaths occurred on board the Shramik Special trains between 9th and 27th May. These trains also contributed to the spread of the coronavirus around the country.

Usage of Train Coaches

Half of the train coaches repurposed into COVID-19 care centres were used for the "Shramik Special" service.

An Indian Railways report dated 23rd May, indicated that migrant labourers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh constituted 80% of the passengers. It was anticipated that around 36 lakh migrants would travel within ten days after the report's release.

As of 12th June, approximately 60 lakh individuals had been transported using 4,277 Shramik Special trains.

In summary, the initiative aimed to alleviate the immediate suffering of stranded migrants and facilitate their journey home. However, it faced flak due to various issues ranging from overpricing, poor facilities, and lack of coordination between central and state governments.

Difficulties Faced by Migrant Workers

During the Covid-19 pandemic, migrant workers in India encountered numerous hurdles. They endured several types of mistreatment, including accusations of coronavirus infection, physical assault, and, most distressingly, police brutality.

Stay Back in the Cities

Many migrant workers who opted to stay back in the cities during the mass exodus, experienced hostility from their neighbors, stemming from the fear that they had contracted the virus. Fearing retaliation, these workers often found themselves unable to step outside to buy essential commodities like food.

Mistreatment by Law Enforcement

The situation further deteriorated due to the excessive use of force exhibited by some police personnel. Reports of migrant workers being subject to physical violence for merely stepping outside made headlines, highlighting not only the prejudice against them but also the abuse of power by the authorities who were supposed to protect them.

Return to Hometowns

Things did not improve for them even upon their return to their hometowns and villages. They were either treated with fear or met with scorn, primarily due to the misconception that they were bringing the coronavirus from the cities where they used to work.

Many faced inhumane treatment, such as being sprayed down with disinfectants or soap solutions - a clear violation of their human rights.

Community Harassment and Discrimination

Harassment from their hometown residents followed. Assaults, verbal abuse and, in many cases, property disputes made their lives difficult. As a significant proportion of migrant workers belong to lower castes, cast-based slurs were unfortunately another form of torment they had to endure.

Travel by Shramik Special Trains

The Indian government had organized Shramik Special trains to facilitate the return of migrant workers to their hometowns. But, the journey home proved unbearable for many. Reports trickled in about inadequate provisions for food and water, often resulting in workers scrambling for their share. The desperation was so significant that passengers resorted to filling their water bottles hurriedly during train halts at railway stations.

Fear of Returning to Cities

Post lockdown, many migrant workers found themselves hesitant to return to the metropolitan jobs as unemployment loomed large during that period. Indian companies started reporting labor shortages from mid-April 2020, estimated to last for at least another six months, largely due to this hesitance. Many migrant workers were reluctant to face another debacle like the one they had experienced.

Overall, these incidents reflect the systemic issues that migrant laborers face in India - the most glaring ones being class and cast prejudice, lack of adequate government preparedness to handle such crises, and absence of proper legal recourse to safeguard their rights. Emphasizing this is important to ensure better management of such emergencies in the future.

Simplified Overview

In September 2020, the India's Ministry of Labour and Employment explained in the Parliament that the Indian Government didn't have any records of migrant workers' deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. Various unofficial sources have provided their own estimates on this matter. News18 reported that, as of July 2020, independent researchers claimed 971 non-COVID-19-related deaths. They found this information from news reports about deaths during the lockdown period. Several causes were attributed to these deaths including illness, mental health crises, accidents, police excessive force, and delayed medical assistance. Most of these deaths appear to be among workers and migrants in precarious financial situations. 80 individuals died in one month while using Shramik Special trains for travel.

Noteworthy tragic incidents in May included: 16 migrants being crushed by a goods train near Aurangabad in Maharashtra state; eight migrant laborers dying and about 55 getting injured in a truck-bus accident near Guna, Madhya Pradesh; and 24 laborers losing their lives and many others injured in a collision involving a trailer and a stationary truck loaded with migrants in Auraiya district, Uttar Pradesh. According to the non-profit organization, SaveLIFE Foundation, almost 200 migrant workers died in road mishaps until the 2nd of June.

Additional Detail

In addition to the numbers provided above, it's worth noting that there are numerous suspected, unconfirmed reports - often cited in local media and non-profit reports - of other labourer deaths that may have occurred due to non-medical causes such as isolation, lack of food and water, and exhaustion from long journeys on foot.

The lockdown has significantly affected labourers, especially those considered informal or precarious, often forcing them to face enormous challenges including economic hardship, job and housing loss, increased health risks, and separation from their families. Many were even left stranded without any transport options, due to the sudden implementation of the lockdown.

To assist these stranded workers, the Indian Railways introduced the Shramik Special trains in May. While these trains were a lifeline to some, the conditions on-board were often grim, leading to a number of deaths.

These unfortunate incidents underline the need for greater protection and support mechanisms for India's significant migrant labour population. Indian labor laws, particularly the Interstate Migrant Workmen Act of 1979, need more robust enforcement alongside the creation of new reforms and policies looking at the health, safety, and rights of migrant workers.

The Indian Government, relevant labor and transport authorities, non-governmental organizations, and society at large need to work towards a more inclusive and robust system that ensures the welfare of each citizen, especially those most vulnerable, during such nationwide emergencies.