Destinations Matter: Social Policy and Migrant Workers in the Times of Covid

Abstract

The national lockdown of India announced on March 24th 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, left millions of migrant labourers stranded in their destinations. Thrown out of their informal labour arrangements in cities and industrial centres, unable to return to their villages in the absence of transportation, they were stranded for over a month with no income, improper housing and often lack of food. This paper discusses the experiences of men migrating from Chakai block, Jamui district, Bihar, to four Indian states, namely, Kerala, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. We compare their experiences across these four destination states in relation to the social policy response following the national lockdown. Most workers are young men (16–35 years old) and their migration pattern is seasonal and circular. The emerging lessons provide inputs for social policy measures related to migrant workers in India.

Untitled

“…On the basis of the different literatures, it can be stressed that the connection between place and migratory behaviour, place attachment is a key factor in deciding whether migration takes place or not [13]. Attachment to the place and return migration has a positive impact on the labour market as it increases the number of experienced and skilled labour in that place [22]. In the paper of Florek (2016), discussion and emphasis are placed on the necessity of attitudinal loyalty to show that cities cannot rely solely on patronage, but must also take into account those who feel strongly about their hometown.…”

“…Town and municipal administrators must promote this sense of affective attachment by developing meaningful ties with a city [22]. If the conditions are favourable, migration chances will be lower [14].…”

“…The specter of poor migrants returning home symbolized class inequalities and government insecurity without money or food, expelled from families and endangered by violence from workers and the state [30]. The state planned special trains for stranded workers on 1 st May 2020 [22] but could not inform whether fares were payable either by state or migrant workers [10]. They all knew about quarantine as they came home and went to facilities but without food, masks or sanitation, they had not been equipped properly.…”

“…The integration of migrants into development is urgently needed. The government should thoroughly consider the suggestions of UNESCO-UNICEF and the Working Group on Migration and put them into action as soon as possible [25,22].…”

Rurally rooted cross-border migrant workers from Myanmar, Covid-19, and agrarian movements

“…The precarious lives of migrant workers in the global economic system have been underscored during the pandemic. Many were trapped in their livelihood sites but without work and means to feed themselves; some were stranded while trying to return home; still others got stuck somewhere en route back to their work sites (Rao et al 2020 ). Migrant worker’s dormitories became sites of concentrated and rapid Covid-19 infection, given the cramped living quarters (e.g., Koh 2020 ; Suhardiman et al 2021 ; Xiuhtecutli and Shattuck 2021 ).…”