Lockdown and its impact on inward migrant workers of Chennai

Migrant Workers, Trains, Chennai

Background: The lockdown measures being implemented by the Tamilnadu State Government as a part of the nation-wide shutdown. Lockdown in India leads to lockdown of marginal section and livelihoods of more than 45 crores of migrant workers in India. In Chennai, more than 25 Lakh of migrant worker has been affected which is 71.44 % of its total labor force and 23% of its total population. The inward migration to Chennai is basically from northern parts of India, north-east and eastern India, while the current situation leads to reverse migration of migrant workers from Chennai to their home state. In Chennai, 74 % of migrant workers belongs to with-in state only, 24 % migrant workers are from other states of India and the rest are from abroad. These workers are majorly involved in Construction, manufacturing, service sector and textile industry in Chennai.

Current Scenario of Migrant workers: The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K. Palaniswami has assured the migrant labor to not get panic and return to their home state on their own. All over India, more than 40 lakhs of migrant worker have registered themselves to return their home state, however in Tamil Nadu more than 2.5 lakh workers have registered and more than 33,000 workers want to come home in Tamil Nadu. State government is trying to send 10,000 of migrant workers daily on govt. expenses through Shramik Special Train. Till date, more than 32,383 of migrant workers has left the city and many more through buses and other sources unreported. Total 25 Shramik Special Trains have carried out the migrant laborer to 13 states from Chennai only, while maximum 7 trains departed to Bihar followed by Assam and Jharkhand 3 trains each. Here is the state wise list of migrant worker which gives idea about reverse migration from Chennai city to other states.

Table 1: Number of migrant labor returned through Shramik Special Train

Policy perspective:  Tamil Nadu government has declared the financial assistance of 3280 crores as relief package and ensured that, unorganized workers will get assistance of 1000 rupees along with rice, cooking oil and pulses through their respective worker welfare board. All ration card holder will also get assistance of 1000 rupees with their monthly share of rice, cooking oil, sugar and pulse through public distribution system (PDS). Under MGNREGA more than 82.66 lakh active workers in Tamil Nadu has been permitted by state government to recommence the work on water conservation and irrigation with prescribed safety measures. State government has enhanced the wages of daily laborer under MGNREGA from 229 to 256 rupees, and also supported additional wages for two days in the month of March, 2020.

Data Sources:  

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2020/may/04/will-ensure-migrants-return-to-work-routine-chennai-corporation-on-lockdown-2138829.html

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/for-migrant-workers-anxiety-abounds-about-return-to-home-towns-and-future-jobs/article31494189.ece

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/migrant-workers-leave-for-home-in-trains-and-buses/article31577335.ece

 https://twitter.com/GMSRailway

https://www.macrotrends.net/cities/21321/madras/population

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/india-on-the-move-what-data-from-census-2011-show-on-migrations-5852540/

http://www.nirdpr.org.in/nird_docs/srsc/srsc-rr-090518-7.pdf

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2020/may/18/tn-governments-relief-camps-near-andhra-border-curtail-movement-of-desperate-migrant-workers-2145001.html

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/tamil-nadu-2-5-lakh-register-to-go-home-33000-to-come-home/articleshow/75570109.cms

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  Divy Vir Patel

  Divy Vir Patel is currently a Mahatma Gandhi National Fellow at IIM Bangalore. She has a B.E. (Electronics and Communication) degree from Gujarat Technological University. She has been working with NGO (Parivartan Trust) that works for Education, social welfare and Women Empowerment since last 5 year.
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  Kanhu Charan Behera

  Kanhu Charan Behere have completed his Masters in Development studies from TISS, Hyderabad. He has also served in HCL Foundation as an Associate project cordinator, currently he is associated with IIM Bangalore as a Mahatma Gandhi National Fellow.