Aiming to protect the rights of migrant workers, Uttar Pradesh’s Yogi Adityanath government recently decided to set up a Migration Commission to ensure the employment of migrant laborers in the state.

India’s lockdown imposed to tackle the spread of Coronavirus pandemic has left lakhs of migrant workers across the country in peril. The pandemic lockdown, which began on March 22, resulted in the mass exodus of lakhs of workers from various states seeking to return to their home towns, as nationwide closure left them without a source of living or basic amenities for survival during the global health emergency.

Aiming to protect the rights of migrant workers, Uttar Pradesh’s Yogi Adityanath government recently decided to set up a Migration Commission to ensure the employment of migrant laborers in the state. The state government decided to name the commission as ‘Shramik Kalyan Aayog’ (Workers Welfare Commission) that would work for the welfare of migrant laborers by providing them cheap shops, homes, and other concessions. The efforts are being made by the government to provide employment to workers in their respective districts so that they do not get displaced or migrate to other states in search of work.

During a press briefing on Sunday, UP government officials declared that approximately 25 lakh workers and migrants have returned to the state during the lockdown. Taking cognizance of the plight of these migrants, UPCM Adityanath directed the officials to conduct a skill mapping of the workers such that they can be provided employment once the economic activities become fully-operational in the state. To carry out the mammoth task, Adityanath gave 15 days-time to the officials, asking them to conduct a survey for the employment of migrant labourers in MSMEs and other industrial units.

Now, the first phase of skill mapping of migrant workers has been completed by the administration with almost 14.75 lakh workers registering themselves, as reported by UP government’s Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Information) Awanish Awasthi. According to official data, these workers are skilled in jobs varying from real estate business to drivers and technicians. About 200 people working with the CM Helpline were directed to contact those migrants who have returned to the state to survey about their skill sets.

As stated by the government spokesperson, the migrant workers will be adjusted to various industrial activities including MSMEs according to their skills and potential, with the aim to ensure their social security upon returning to the state. The Adityanath government is also working on policies under which it will be providing insurance cover and accommodation according to their jobs as well. Furthermore, the chief minister also assured that the state government would also help the migrant workers in getting bank loans if they choose to start their own business.

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