No data on deaths, job losses among migrant workers during lockdown: Government

The Government of India on Monday told Parliament that there is no data available on the deaths and job losses among migrant workers due to the imposition of lockdown during coronavirus pandemic.

The Government of India on Monday told Parliament that there is no data available on the deaths and job losses among migrant workers due to the imposition of lockdown during coronavirus pandemic. The Ministry of Labour and Employment, in a written reply, also said the government has not maintained state-wise break-up of distribution of free ration to migrant workers.

To a question, whether thousands of migrant labourers have died during coronavirus lockdown, the government responded saying, "No such data is available."

When asked if the government failed to assess problems faced by migrant labourers during the lockdown, it said, "India, as a nation, has responded through the central government, state governments, local bodies, self-help groups, resident welfare associations, medical health professionals, sanitation workers as well as large number of genuine and bonafide nongovernmental organisations in the nation's fight against the unprecedented human crisis due to the outbreak of Covid-19 and country-wide lockdown."

The government was also asked for details about its free ration distribution scheme during the lockdown. In its reply, the government said, "State-wise details are not available.

However, 80 crore people are being provided additional 5 kg wheat or rice and 1 kg of preferred pulses, free of cost every month till November 2020 to empower millions of migrant workers/labourers working in various organized and unorganised sectors to seamlessly receive their food security entitlements under National Food Security Act (NFSA), irrespective of their physical location."

"The government has started the implementation of One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) Plan. With the implementation of this plan the migrant beneficiary can get food security from any fair price shop of his choice anywhere in the country."

When asked about the other steps being taken by the government during the Covid-19 pandemic, it said, "The central government has issued comprehensive advisory guidelines on 27.07.2020 to all the States/UTs for the welfare of the migrant workers returning to the destination states in the backdrop of Covid-19."

"The States/UTs have been advised to take adequate steps to streamline the migration of the workers to mitigate the hardships of migrant workers returning to the destination States/UTs," the government added.