The Fortune of Others

Context: Pandemic induced crisis has revealed the critical vulnerabilities of Indian society especially with respect to internal migrants.

Linking Reverse Migration/Internal migration to epidemics

• Three types of rural to urban migrants: (a) permanent, (b) semi-permanent or long-term circular and (c) seasonal and temporary or circular migrants. (UNESCO) 

• Labour supply crisis in the cities: shift in the balance between capital and labour.

• Rise of informal labour regime: in industries and service sectors (outsourcing and contracting-out arrangements).

Need for Social Intervention for Internal Migrants

• Wage deprivation: 99% of the self-employed/urban workforce (migrant) are deprived of wages during a lockdown.
• Unemployment and the high cost: of permanent relocation in cities. 
• Lack of Data: No Census nor the National Sample Survey of the informal or the unorganised economy.

• Absence of data on the construction industry workforce is because of their work schedule and hostility of security staff and/or contractors.

• Seasonal or circular rural-to-urban migrants are a major segment of the workforce construction industry.
• Rising Informalisation of formalised economy: nearly half of India’s GDP and 80 to 90% of the labour force is informal and unorganised.
• Towards destitution: Dilution of labour laws and erosion of labour rights in terms of social protection, working conditions, safety.

Conclusion: Our society needs to regain its moral compass and re-discover the quality of sympathy.

Quote: “Epidemics are not random events that afflict societies capriciously and without warning”- Frank Snowden.