The Central government on Monday told the Lok Sabha that it did have any data on the deaths of migrant labourers or their families in the exodus from India’s major cities to their native states due to the nationwide lockdown, which saw businesses and factories down their shutters, in the panic surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak. The sight of weary migrant workers making their way home by foot in the summer months and that of volunteer groups, some run by companies, trusts and NGOs, giving them food and water had been on TV news and social media.
The reply to the written question was given by Santosh Gangwar, the Minister of Labour (Independent Charge). The question had also asked if any welfare measures like compensation or economic assistance had been extended to such workers’ families, the government said the question did not arise as the government had no knowledge on the purported deaths.
Chandrapur MP Bhalubhau Narayanrao Dhanorkar of the Congress, Attingal MP Adoor Prakash of the Congress and Ramanathapuram MP Kani K. Navas of the IUML had raised the question on migrant workers’ plight after the lockdown came into force on March 25.
The question, which was in 3 parts, finally wanted information on the job losses due to the pandemic, to which the government again said it had not kept track of unemployment caused by the outbreak of the disease.
“India, as a nation, has responded through the Central and state governments, local bodies, self-help groups (SHGs), Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), medical health professionals, sanitation workers as well as large number of genuine and bonafide non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the nation’s fight against the unprecedented human crisis due to the coronavirus led country-wide lockdown,” Gangwar’s answer read.
To a question on details about the free ration scheme during the lockdown, the government replied that state-wise details are not available. But added that 80 crore people were being provided additional 5 kg wheat or rice and 1 kg of preferred pulses free of cost, every month till November 2020.
Independent reports by NGOs and trackers of job losses put the number of deaths due to the migration by foot to under 1,000 people. A World Bank report in April 2020 had said India’s nationwide lockdown had impacted the livelihood of nearly 40 million internal migrants. Small traders, hawkers and daily wage labourers were the worst hit.