In a Goa nightclub & beyond, migrants are invisible, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• Migrant workers constitute approximately 35% of India's urban population, as per the Periodic Labour Force Survey 2020-21.
• A recent nightclub fire in Goa resulted in the deaths of 20 migrant workers, highlighting the unsafe working conditions they often face.
• The e-Shram portal has over 31 crore registrations, aiming to map workers and bridge data gaps, but faces challenges in ensuring portable benefits and social protection.
• Kerala has implemented a migrant-inclusive local government model, integrating migrant workers into health services and housing schemes.

Detailed Insights:

• Migrant workers often become visible in public and policy only during times of suffering, such as the 2020 Covid lockdown and industrial tragedies.
• The vulnerability of migrant workers stems from invisibility, informality, and institutional fragmentation, leading to exclusion from safety nets.
• High-density economic clusters like construction and hospitality rely heavily on migrant labor, who face risks of hazardous conditions and wage theft.
• Jharkhand's Safe and Responsible Migration Initiative (SRMI) piloted inter-state frameworks and provided support for workers facing distress.
• A national-state compact on migration is needed to link high-source and high-destination states through shared data and portable welfare.
• Local governments should be empowered to inspect living conditions, track settlements, and provide documentation to migrant workers.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Migrant Workers: Individuals who move from one region or state to another for employment or economic opportunities.
• e-Shram Portal: A national database to register unorganized sector workers in India, facilitating social security benefits.
• Inter-State Coordination: Collaboration between different state governments to address issues related to migrant workers.