An Unseen Side of COVID-19: Migrants Scenario in India

Abstract

An unorganized sector in India accounts for 93% workforce where migrant laborers staying in their place of work were unaware when the lockdown was announced, and not knowing what to do and in absence of a safety and security opted for reverse migration to their place of origin, mostly by foot as public transport got closed abruptly. More pain was to follow, with them being either sent back again from the state borders or finding them unwelcome in their own villages fearing they might be the carriers of the virus. This socio-economic impact of COVID19 pandemic and its implications to the vulnerable group is presented in this article. The worst affected social group during the current lockdown are the laborers and their families, and more particularly migrants who had left their homes for seeking odd jobs at various places, both urban and rural in industries, services, construction and even in agriculture. New policies by Government to run special trains, monetary aids to migrants and poor and relief camps are appreciable and need to be monitored so that the benefit could reach to poor migrants.