-The Hindu The lockdown period saw the state abdicating its responsibilities towards the welfare of pregnant women In a shocking incident earlier this month, a pregnant woman died in an ambulance in Noida after being turned away from a number of private and government hospitals. This raises a chilling question for all of us: if this can happen somewhere so close to the nation’s capital, what is happening in the corners of...

-The Hindu It is shocking that those who build fantasy cities not only can’t own a home of their own but also can’t vote in elections, says political scientist Ashwani Kumar Political scientist Ashwani Kumar, whose forthcoming co-edited book titled Migration and Mobility is to be out soon, speaks on migration, inter-State workers and amendment to the Inter-State Migrant Workers Act, 1979. * The COVID-19 crisis for India has also become a humanitarian...

-The Indian Express A blanket suspension of labour laws, as has been in the case of UP, however, may not find favour, with the Centre leaning towards putting caveats in order to protect the rights of bonded labour, children and women. With at least 10 states moving to amend their labour laws ahead of restarting economic activities post the COVID-19 lockdown, an overhaul in the central labour laws is being seen in...

-The Indian Express The rabi crop, known as Boro Dhan in Bengal, is sown in November and usually harvested by April. But this year, the lockdown has delayed the harvest by over a month, and now, farmers are racing against time to finish before the rains at the end of June. Yadav Ghorui has rarely been this busy during harvest season. He is one of eight farm labourers called in to work...

-The Hindu Policy responses to the migrant crisis reinforce the idea of two Indias Jamalo Makdam, 12, died on April 18 walking back from the chilli fields of Telangana to her home in Chhattisgarh. She and a group of other workers decided to return home on foot, as many migrant workers did, after losing their jobs, incomes and even accommodation following the announcement of a nationwide lockdown. Her journey ended in death,...