Labour Migration, Vulnerability, and Development Policy: The Pandemic as Inflexion Point? (original) (raw)

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Internal Labour Migration in India: A ‘Crisis of Mobility’

The Indian Journal of Labour Economics

This paper examines the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on migration. The rapid spread of the pandemic caught countries across the world off guard, resulting in widespread lockdowns that clamped down on mobility, commercial activities and social interactions. In India, the pandemic precipitated a severe 'crisis of mobility', with migrant labourers in many major cities seeking to return to their hometowns. Their desperate attempts to return home by any means available rendered the lockdown ineffective in several areas, prompting clashes with authorities, last-minute policy relief and, eventually, the arrangement of transport measures. This paper aims to shed light on the vulnerability of India's internal migrants in terms of their mobility, gender and mental health. In addition, it critically analyses the limitations of public policy in addressing migrants and suggests recommendations for the way ahead.

Internal Migration and the Covid-19 Pandemic in India

Migration and Pandemics, 2021

This chapter looks at the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on internal migrants in India. According to the 2011 Census, there are over 450 million internal migrants, of which a massive 54 million are inter-state migrants. A large number of these migrants consist of labourers who comprise a huge percentage of the informal sector workforce, both in the rural and urban areas of India, and are vital to the country’s economy. These workers are also some of the most vulnerable, with inadequacies in terms of working conditions and coverage of social safety nets, and are also largely absent from India’s policy discourses. This chapter highlights the size and extent of internal migration as well as its distribution across different states in India. It shows how the current crisis and lockdowns have affected their lives and livelihoods. It particularly looks at the responses of central and various state governments – at destinations and origins – to ensure migrants’ wellbeing. It also analyses...

Migrants at a crossroads: COVID-19 and challenges to migration

Migration and Development, 2020

In my final editorial, as the Editor-in-Chief of Migration and Development, I look back at my time as a migration scholar for close to three decades and the ways in which the field has slowly expanded, giving rise to platform such as this journal for migrant scholars globally to showcase their ideas on the various facets of migration and development. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the future of migration and gaining a clear picture of the world at hand is imperative. What will be the effect of this virus on mobility across and beyond borders? This article examines the role of large scale migration surveys in understanding that future. Focusing on the example of Kerala, the article highlights the role of the Kerala Migration Survey (KMS) which has provided data on stocks of emigrants, return emigrants, cost of migration, use of remittances and migration corridors since 1998 The article shows how the Government of Kerala effectively utilized this data to manage the spread of the pandemic and its subsequent socioeconomic impact on individuals, communities and society and organize policies and programs as well as to prepare for eventual return migrants for their integration and rehabilitation. Given that the KMS model has been successfully replicated in some of the major states in India, we proposed the KMS model to be replicated nationwide as an India Migration Survey and globally, given the challenges to come in terms of new emerging trends and patterns of migration in post-pandemic world.

The Impact of COVID-19 on India's Internal Migration

2021

The COVID-19 pandemic left India's social and economic identity trembling with the majority of its brunt being borne by the downtrodden and migrant populations of India. Experts have reported that the sheer scale of the problem at hand could easily be one the largest migration crises India has ever faced with estimates of up to 400 million workers being unable to afford basic necessities (Nair & Verma, 2020). This research study aims to investigate and outline the contributing factors of this crisis by analyzing the overarching impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indian society since the pandemic's inception. This will be done by specializing data sources and analysis in three foundational aspects: (a) mental health, (b) gender gap, and (c) caste & socioeconomic barriers. The methodology will consist of primary and secondary data sources which when implemented effectively will paint a holistic picture of the adversities and obstacles faced by the migrant laborers. The study's ultimate aim is to provide comprehensive analysis of the effects of government policies on migrants in India and to suggest detailed reforms in order to create an improved environment for the internal migrants in the country. Utilizing the results of the data analysis and its inferences, we suggest both short-term, and long-term solutions to this rapidly deteriorating migration crisis including: government distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations, providing wage support for migrant workers, and the building of a stronger framework to allow for safer migration throughout the country. Considering the implications and limitations of this research as universal inapplicability of potential solutions continue to persist in political scenarios due to corruption and politicize agendas, the paper discusses how current foundational elements within India can be strengthened in order to better favor the lives of the migrant workers therefore increasing the overall sustainability of the entire Indian workforce and economy.

Labour Migration and Exclusion: India's Experience during COVID-19 Pandemic

Social Action, 2021

Migrant workers play a vital role in contributing to the country's economy. Over the last few decades India has witnessed large scale internal migration. The Coronavirus pandemic has added on to the plight of migrant workers. The countrywide lockdown imposed by the government to curb the spread of the virus severely affected their livelihoods. Many of them died of hunger on the way before they reach their destination. The situation has been different after the relaxation on travel restrictions. Those who had returned during the lockdown are heading again towards their work places and many of them have already rejoined work. During this transition period India has experienced various socioeconomic crises. The paper intends to highlight the challenges the migrant workers confronted during countrywide lockdown and the continued dilemmas even during post lockdown period. The paper also suggests some migrant-sensitive policy measures for their inclusion in the development process.

COVID-19 and India's Ongoing Migration Fiasco Some Lessons for Policy and Research

Economic and Political Weekly, 2022

Drawing on empirical research with migrant populations, this article identifi es four interlinked issues critical to understanding and addressing the contemporary migrant crisis that unfolded in India in the wake of COVID-19. These are (i) labour market segmentation by class, caste, and gender; (ii) inaccessibility of urban housing and services that challenge urban survival; (iii) differential access to documentation, which shapes the hierarchies of citizenship; and (iv) ineffective data that lets migrants slip through the gaps of welfare provision. The authors are grateful to the referee for the comments on a previous version of this article.

COVID-19 and its Impact on Labour Migration: The Case of Asia

HAPSc Policy Briefs Series, 2021

Globalized economy relies on labour migration. In the current effort to rebuild the future in an early post-COVID world, the impact of this health crisis had on the international migration workers should be studied. For more than a year now, professionals of different skill levels have been obliged to either return to their home country or to stay trapped in their destination country unemployed or with little access to social security or the ability for self-protection by potential virus infection. The impact was huge both for the origin and the destination countries. One of the most important effects was on international remittances. Some initiatives were taken to manage this situation. This policy brief aims to enlighten new areas on which extra effort should be made regarding labour migration.

The COVID-19, Migration and Livelihood in India: Challenges and Policy Issues

Migration Letters, 2020

The worldwide spread of COVID-19 first reported from Wuhan in China is attributed to migration and mobility of people. In this article, we present how our understanding of migration and livelihood could be helpful in designing a mitigating strategy of the economic and social impact of COVID-19 in India. We conclude that there are many challenges migrants face during the spread of COVID-19 resulting from nation-wide lockdown. Many internal migrants faced problems such as lack of food, basic amenities, lack of health care, economic stress, lack of transportation facilities to return to their native places and lack of psychological support. On the other hand, COVID-19 has also brought into sharp focus the emigrants from India and the major migration corridors India shares with the world as well. There is huge uncertainty about how long this crisis will last. This article further provides some immediate measures and long term strategies to be adopted by the government such as improving ...