The Labor Department has launched an all-India survey on migrant workers with effect from 1 April 2021 with the following objectives:
- Estimate the number of domestic/internal migrant workers in the country.
- Collect data on the characteristics of their households, socio-economic conditions and working conditions.
Study the impact of COVID19 on their work. The survey is ongoing.
In order to protect the interests of migrant workers, the Central Government enacted the Interstate Migrant Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979. This Act is now included in the Occupational Safety, Health and Labor Act. Code of conditions (OSH). The OSH Code ensures decent working conditions, minimum wages, grievance redressal mechanisms, protection against abuse and exploitation, upskilling and social security for all categories of workers, including migrant workers. Migrant workers perform various occupations. The Government of India has launched several social security and welfare schemes for workers, including migrant workers. Some of the prominent schemes are as follows;
Launched in 2015, Pradhan MantriJeevanJyotiBimaYojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha BimaYojana (PMSBY) provide life and disability cover due to natural or accidental death.
(ii) Pradhan MantriShram Yogi Man Dhan (PM-SYM) pension scheme launched in 2019 provides old age social security in the form of monthly pension.
(iii) Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana (PMJAY) launched in 2018 provides Rs .5 lakh health cover for secondary and tertiary health benefits to those migrant workers who are included as eligible beneficiaries under deprivation and occupation criteria.
(iv) PM-SVA Nidhi Scheme allows collateral free working capital loan up to Rs.10,000. 000/- for one year to street vendors.
(v) Pradhan MantriAwasYojana provides housing to all eligible beneficiaries. During the period of Covid – 19 pandemic since March 2020,
The Union Government has taken several other measures for the benefit of the workers such as; creation of 39.51 crore new employment opportunities by crediting Rs 2583 crore to EPF accounts under Atmanirbhar Bharat RozgarYojana (ABRY), benefits of Rs 2567 crore to retain 38.91 crore low wage workers under Pradhan MantriGaribKalyanYojana (PMGKY), financial assistance of Rs.7413 crores for building and other construction workers (BOCWs), unemployment assistance under Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana (ABVKY), Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan (PMGKRA) generating 50.78 crores of mands with Rs.39,293 crores, free food of 5 kg per person per month to all beneficiaries of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and special training program under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) as part of Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan (GKRA) in districts with high concentration of returnees.
The One Nation one Ration Card Scheme facilitated the transfer of food rations through PDS shops across the country for migrant workers and their families. (vi) The Ministry of Labor and Employment has also launched the eSHRAM portal, a national database of unorganized workers. It has been made available to States/UTs for registration of unorganized workers including migrant workers. The main objective of the e-SHRAM portal is to create a national database of Aadhaar deployed unorganized workers. It will also facilitate the provision of social security and welfare schemes to these workers. The portal is also intended to facilitate the portability of social benefits for migrant workers.
Under the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, both the Central and State Governments are the appropriate Governments to fix, review and revise the minimum wages of employees engaged in scheduled occupations, including migrant workers within their respective jurisdictions. The Central and State Governments are mandated under Article 3(1)(b) of the Act to revise the minimum rates of wages paid to employees engaged in scheduled occupations, including migrants, in their respective jurisdictions at intervals not exceeding five years. Accordingly, in 2017, the minimum wage rates in Scheduled Jobs in the Central Sector were last revised by the Central Government.This information was provided by the State Minister of Labor &Employment, Shri Rameswar Teli in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
