Updated: September 14, 2020 3:39:04 pm
Small merchants, street vendors and day laborers were hit the hardest by the shutdown in April, comprising 91.2 million of the jobs lost out of the total loss of 121.5 million that month.
The Center informed Parliament on Monday that no data was available on migrant worker deaths triggered by the sudden national shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic in the country this year.
In response to a question about whether thousands of migrant workers lost their lives during this period, the Ministry of Labor and Employment, through a written response, said that “such data is not available.”
On whether any compensation or relief was provided to the victim’s family, the government said: “The question does not arise in light of the previous question.”
Additionally, the government said it had also failed to track job losses amid the pandemic. “That data is not kept,” he said.
According to a World Bank report in April this year, the national shutdown, which began on March 25, has impacted the livelihoods of nearly 40 million internal migrants.
Small merchants, street vendors and day laborers were hit the hardest by the shutdown in April, comprising 91.2 million of the jobs lost out of the total loss of 121.5 million that month.
“This category of employment accounted for about 32 percent of total employment, but suffered 75 percent of the hit in April. A large number of these people lost their source of livelihood so quickly because their employment is almost completely informal, ”the Center for Monitoring the Indian Economy (CMIE) had previously said.
When asked if the government had not assessed the problems faced by these workers, the Center said: “India, as a nation, has responded through the central government, state governments, local bodies, self-help groups, resident welfare associations. , medical health “
The Center added that the Indian Railways operated more than 4,611 Shramik Special trains to help the workers return home. “More than 63.07 lakhs of migrant workers have been transferred to various destinations located in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and other states. Food and water were also provided free of charge to the workers during their trip, ”he said.
In addition, at least 110 migrants died at the railway facilities during the operation of the Shramik Special trains since May 1. according to sources.
Data from states where nearly 63.07 lakh of stranded migrants arrived at 4,611 Shramik Specials indicate that the 110 deaths were caused by a variety of reasons, including pre-existing diseases and Covid-19. Sources said a couple of deaths have not been taken into account as bodies were found on the tracks, apparently run over by trains.
In June, the Central Information Commission had led by the Chief Labor Commissioner to upload all data on migrant workers stranded in shelters set up by governments or by employers at workplaces or those generally grouped into districts. He also ordered that the information be updated from time to time.
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