On June 5th this year, the Stranded Workers Action Network, comprising volunteers from various civil society groups, academics and students enrolled in university education, released its third report entitled ‘To Leave or Not to Leave? Lockdown, Migrant Workers, and Their Journeys Home’. Among other things, the latest report states that nearly four-fifth of migrant workers (out of 5,911) who called SWAN volunteers for help (altogether 821 distress calls were made)...
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30 million people, one coronavirus testing lab: Crisis in eastern Uttar Pradesh -Supriya Sharma
-Scroll.in As migrant workers return to the region, the number of cases is rising – as is the backlog of tests. On Sunday morning, June 7, the chief medical officer of Jaunpur district sat in his office, shooting muffled instructions to his staff from behind his N-95 mask. “Arrange 10 mattresses quickly,” he told a man who tentatively stood next to his desk. “We need to prepare 100 beds immediately.” “Why have 25 thalis...
More »Send migrants home within 15 days, provide them employment: Supreme Court
-The Indian Express The Supreme Court also directed state governments and Union Territories to formulate a scheme to provide employment to workers, asking that their skills be mapped. New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday directed the Centre and states to facilitate the return of migrants to their home states within 15 days, starting today. The apex court, which had taken suo motu cognizance of the issue, in its formal order said Railways...
More »Can MGNREGA Be Reshaped and Reoriented to Help India's Farmers? -Siraj Hussain and Jugal Mohapatra
-TheWire.in As a fresh spotlight hits India's rural employment programme, two suggestions have been offered to “repurpose” MGNREGA to utilise the additional labour force that have returned to their villages. Due to the sudden lockdown and resultant job losses, over one crore people have returned to their homes, some walking hundreds of kilometres, others using all conceivable means of transport – buses, trucks, trailers, concrete mixers, Shramik Trains, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, auto...
More »Punjab: Labour Shortage in Lockdown Reveals Fissures in Farm Economy Ahead of Paddy Sowing Season -Vivek Gupta
-TheWire.in Panchayats and labour workforce unions have openly traded barbs over a move to cap paddy transplant wages in several villages. Chandigarh: “This time paddy transplant rates in our village will not be more than Rs 2,700 per acre. If anyone pays more than what is decided, he will be fined Rs 5,000,” said an elderly man, as he addressed a gathering in Gharyala Kurd village in Punjab’s Taran Taran district, approximately...
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