-VillageSquare.in With the countrywide lockdown to arrest spread of COVID-19, migrant workers who started returning home from destination sites are caught in borders with scant amenities. Government needs to intervene to ensure safe passage For the last ten days or so, state governments have been announcing movement restrictions and advisories about not moving. The lockdown trial euphemistically titled Janata Curfew was observed on the 22nd of March. Trains were stopped from that...

-IdeasforIndia.in With over 80% of India’s workforce employed in the informal sector and one-third working as casual labour, COVID-19's spread and subsequent unplanned lockdowns, have created economic havoc in the lives of millions. In this post, Reetika Khera puts forward suggestions on what can be done to help people immediately, ranging from cash and in-kind assistance to special measures for migrants in urban areas and urgent health-related measures. The spread of the...

-Press release by Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha dated by 25th March, 2020 Jharkhand, like most of India, has woken up late to the COVID-19 pandemic and is yet to provide adequate social security to the people. Although no COVID-19 case has been officially reported in Jharkhand so far, this may be a myth since the state has only one testing centre where only a few dozen samples have been tested, according to...

-Hindustan Times New Delhi: The 21-day national lockdown imposed by the Narendra Modi government to combat the spread of COVID-19 , and which starts at 12.01 am Wednesday is the first time provisions of the National Disaster Management Act, 2005, are being invoked. In an order issued by the home ministry, the home secretary as chairperson of the National Executive Committee of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued guidelines for the...

-Down to Earth The workers reportedly began their journey on March 23, 2020, with some accompanied by their wives, children   Thousands of migrant workers in Gujarat are undertaking long journeys to their native villages on foot. The workers, mostly tribals, travelled upwards of 250 kilometres, in the absence of public transport. Migrant workers are forced to take this step after the Union government initiated a janata (people’s) curfew and subsequently, a 21-day...