- 2011 census: 5.6cr migrant labour from UP, Bihar, Jharkhand MP
- informal contract work
- in total (all india), estimate 10 cr migrant labours
- accounting for 10% GDP
Issues faced by migrant labour
- treated as second class citizens
- low wages
- low standard of living
- lack of proper accommodation
- inaccessibility to state services
- lack of identity proof, other docs
- unable to speak lingua franca of place where they migrate to
- not represented by unions or social movements
- ∴ easily harassed by employers, govt institutions
- makes them cheap, easily controlled and disposable
- unlike farmers who benefit from govt schemes for rural india, migrant labourers have NO formal govt support
Benefits for migrant workers in The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020
- interstate migrant worker defined
- employed in another state
- wage ≤ 18,000/month
- central and state govt shall maintain records for inter state migrant workers
- contractor must ensure suitable work conditions for inter state migrant worker
- extend benefits like PF, insurance, medical check up etc
- must pay workers an annual sump sum amount for journey b/w work state and home state
- Govt shall provide PDS benefits to these workers