Uttar Pradesh looks to provide employment, insurance to migrant workers

In a two-pronged strategy to secure the lives of migrant workers, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to set up a Migration Commission for the employment of such labourers in the State, and made it clear that any State that wants them from UP has to seek its permission.

With over 23 lakh workers and migrants having returned to the state till Sunday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed that a Migration Commission be set up, according to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi. Adityanath also directed officials that migrant workers be given insurance so that their life is secured, Awasthi said.

The chief minister suggested that a scheme be launched to ensure their job security.

Workers’ rights

About the commission, Adityanath said it has been proposed to look into various factors associated with migrant workers’ rights and to prevent exploitation while providing an official framework to ensure socio-economic-legal support for them.

“Insurance, social security, re-employment assistance, provision for unemployment allowance are some of the factors that will be looked into by the commission,” he said.

Upset that migrant labourers were “not properly taken care of” by various states in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown, Adityanath said, “These workers are our biggest resource and we will give them employment in Uttar Pradesh as State government is going to set up a panel for their employment.” “They are our people...and if some States want them back, they have to seek permission from the State government,” he said.

There is a need to ensure their socio-legal-monetary rights, the chief minister said.

Mapping workers’ skills

Adityanath had earlier asked officials to do skill mapping of migrant workers so that they can be provided employment once they complete the quarantine period.

During an interaction with the RSS-affiliated publications ‘Panchjanya’ and ‘Organiser’ on Sunday, he said that as per feedback received from migrant workers who reached Uttar Pradesh, safeguarding their rights should get utmost attention and importance.

“All migrant workers are being registered and their skills mapped. Any State or entity interested in inviting migrant workers will need to assure and provide for their socio-legal-monetary rights,” he said.