The coronavirus outbreak in India and its subsequent lockdowns have caused a migrant crisis in the country. The mass exodus of workers from various parts of the country to their hometown has been compared to the partition of India and Pakistan. Due to the closure of businesses and manufacturing industries, workers lost all of their source of earnings.
Addressing the crisis, the Supreme Court on Tuesday passed a slew of directions to state governments and Union Territories to provide benefits for migrant workers, who returned to their native states and directed the governments to submit schemes to generate employment for the migrants, and also map out their skills to consider their suitability.
A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M. R.Shah said that employment generation should be explored by the home state of the migrant workers”, besides facilitating their journey to their native places, if they are interested.
All migrant workers” should be sent back home within 15 days from Tuesday, and they should be identified through registration in their home states, added the bench. The top court has asked the states and the UTs to submit their response by July 8.
The top court also ordered the withdrawal of complaints against migrant workers” who set off on foot.
The ruling from the bench came on the problems and difficulties faced by the migrant workers” in the backdrop of nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus. The top court had taken a suo-moto cognizance on the matter. The top court also directed the states and the UTs to set up counseling centers to disseminate information on job and benefits schemes.
The apex court said the authorities concerned should gather information on the details of workers”, which include the nature of their past employment, and also set up counselling centres to help them to go back to their place of employment.
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