Hyderabad: One of the multiple exposés of the sudden announcement of the 21-day lockdown due to COVID-19 by the Prime Minister of India has been the visibility of the millions of migrant workers in the country, who lived a sub-human existence.
They barely survived as workers on brick kilns, construction sites, are trafficked as bonded labourers in sweatshops, head-load carriers on ports, factories, mills and as agricultural labourers. They migrate with their families, or alone.
Women travelled across states as agricultural labourers. Most such labour force are from Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Easter UP, contributing their labour to build a prosperous and new India. They are not in the reckoning, are uncared for and marginalized; however, they survive in spite of the State.
The heart wrenching pictures on the television, social media and newspapers after the draconian lockdown show how they are being pushed them to walk miles and miles to get back to the safety of their homes. This has pricked the conscience of some well-meaning individuals, NGO’s and institutions in the nation, who offer them support in the form of food, shelter and cash.
Some state governments too have finally started to give them attention. The Supreme Court, while responding to a PIL seeking transport and other amenities for migrants who have been on the move ever since the 21-day lock down was announced, pointed out that the fear and panic over the Covid 19 virus outbreak as is turning out, in fact, a bigger threat than the pandemic itself. It demanded from the government a report on the steps taken to deal with the problems of this sudden exodus of migrants from cities to hinterland.
Migrant Labour- Response of Telangana government
The government of Telangana announced a slew of measures to address an estimated number of 3.5 lakh migrant workers in the state, mostly from Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand. The Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao met the press to discuss the measures taken by him and even spoke in Hindi to reassure the migrant workers.
He said, "As Chief Minister of Telangana I am telling you that how many crores of rupees need to be spent; we will not go back, we will arrange for the money. You stay comfortably. At no cost should anyone starve in Telangana, or any state."
He also implored them, “Don't make desperate attempts to leave Telangana to reach your native places. You have come (to Telangana) to ensure the state's progress, to serve Telangana and hence we see you as a family member. Don't worry about anything. We will take care of you."
The Government Order (GO) issued on 30 th March reflected the Chief Minister’s sentiments that all migrant workers are partners in the development of Telangana and that there is a dire need to support them on an urgent basis in all possible manner.
Under the Chief Minister’s orders all migrant workers would each be provided 12 kg rice per person (or 12 kg of atta per head) free of cost in addition to Rs. 500 in cash as immediate relief at a cost of Rs.29.96 crore to the State.
These orders were also applicable to all those migrant workers who do not have food security cards issued by the Government of Telangana. The District Collectors were also directed to provide cooked food and other basic facilities like shelter, water, medical care, if the migrant workers had no access to a kitchen.
The number of migrant workers in the state may have been underestimated by the Chief minister. It is hoped that the announced measures will be made available to all migrants even if their actual numbers are substantially more.
Undoubtedly, this is one of the most radical outreach programs for migrant workers in the country today. The migrant workers welfare is being promised at all costs.
There is already news trickling in that some local governments and gram panchayats are actually providing all 12 kg rice and Rs. 500. However, it is important to see the crucial role they play in sustaining the rice mills and literally reaping the harvest that would be ready in a week or 10 days’ time.
Farmers -Response of Government
The Chief Minister had also extended support and concessions to the farmers under the extraordinary circumstances of COVID 19 lockdown. Due to the huge investments made in irrigation after the formation of the new state of Telangana, it is estimated that there is a bumper crop of 1.05 crore tonnes of paddy to be harvested.
Rabi crops were grown over 50 lakh acres. The paddy cultivation was taken up on 40 lakh acres which is a record. The government has already drawn up an estimate of the number of harvester machines required and has directed officials to mobilise tractor mounted harvesters from towns and transport them to fields for harvesting.
It is also planning to get 1500 harvesters from Tamil Nadu to bridge the gap. In one of the press meets the Chief Minister KCR observed that since the market has collapsed, it is for the government to rescue the farmers and procure all the grains at the Minimum Support Price. In his address he said, “The government would procure your produce from your respective villages.
Read: COVID-19: Impact on Mother India and her Children Abroad
The Agriculture Department will issue coupons to the farmers, and accordingly, the government officials would procure the food grains on an appointed date and time. This process of procurement would begin from the first week of April and proceed up to mid-May.
There will be no problem as far as payment is concerned. If the farmer produces his passbook and account number, money would be credited directly to his account”.
An amount of Rs. 30,000 crores have been allocated to the Civil Supplies Corporation in this regard. The CM also stated that the markets in towns would remain shut and entire procurement will happen in villages by following all the social distancing guidelines and other precautions.
He urged the villagers not to obstruct the movement of the trucks by placing barricades on roads to their villages. The government also estimated that it would require 70 lakh gunny bags for procuring the paddy. The state has only 35 lakh bags and with the gunny bag manufacturers in Kolkata shutting their operations due to lockdown, the state is facing a challenge and looking for options. The CM indicated that the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees would be contacted in this regard.
Crisis in Agriculture Economy sans Bihar migrant labour
Hundreds of rice mills in Telangana depend entirely on the Bihari migrant workforce, constituting 95% of the rice mill workers. They are the head-load carriers, who load and unload the rice trucks and the hamalis. Many went back to Bihar for 'Holi' and are now stranded there due to the lockdown. Without them the rice economy actually collapses.
While harvesters can be arranged for, MSP can be given, gunny bags can be arranged for, everything comes to a standstill without the lakhs of migrant workers carrying headloads on to the trucks from villages to the rice mills and from rice mills to the go downs.
Telangana needs the Biihari migrant labour desperately. This is reflected in CM’s statement that his Chief Secretary would speak to his Bihar counterpart to request the return of the workers. If necessary, he would talk to the Centre to arrange a few special trains to bring back the Bihari migrant workers!
And so, it requires a COVID-19 to tell us that migrant workers are vital to our lives. It tells us that our well-being, comfort and security depends on their phenomenal contribution to our economy. The establishment cannot afford to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
They are to be wooed, sought after, given food, shelter and care, just so that they continue to produce without questioning. Even now they are not regarded as entitlement holders with rights, as citizens with dignity but only as beneficiary’s dependent on state welfare and charity. The state would continue to make us believe that the migrant workers need us and not that we are all interdependent and equal citizens.
The author, Prof. Shantha Sinha, is an anti-child labour activist and Professor in the Department of Political science in Hyderabad Central University.
