Thousands of migrant workers across the country have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus lockdown. The migrant crisis has been the focus in the country since the lockdown was first imposed as thousands of migrants started walking miles to reach their hometowns. With no jobs at their homes, the poverty-stricken migrants are left with no option but to get back to different states in search of livelihood.
In this episode, jobless migrants of Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur have now decided to work on paddy farms in Punjab. Many such migrants have returned to their hometown in a hope of employment. But getting work in Shahjahanpur is equivalent to impossible. According to the families, the administration has not provided any help regarding this issue.
22-year-old, Arjun Singh Kushwaha who hails from Kataiya Usmanpur village in Nigohi block along with several other migrants left Uttarakhand as the factory where he used to work was shut. On June 6 with 14 other workers left for Punjab for a monthly contract basis job in Khanna.
“We don’t have any work here. So, my brother and 12 others went Punjab for paddy cultivation work. All of them will be staying at a farmhouse in Khanna and would get Rs 3,500 per acre for sowing paddy seeds and some additional work. This means that each will get around Rs 300 per day along with meals and accommodation. I am looking after the family at the moment and would also shift to some other state since the work here is insufficient for survival”, said Arjun’s elder brother speaking to Times of India.
Moreover, according to the reports in several other poor states like Bihar, migrant workers may indulge in ‘illegal work’ due to lack of jobs. On May 29 a letter was issued by Bihar ADG Amit Kumar which stated, “Due to serious financial-economic challenges, all of them are tensed and in the problem. Despite the efforts of the state government, the possibility of providing desired employment to all of them does not appear possible. They (migrant labourers ) may indulge in immoral and illegal activities to support themselves and their families. It can have an adverse impact on law and order”.
According to the data, the unemployment rate in urban areas increased to 30% in the week ending March 29, about 3.5 times the rate of 8.7% for the week ending March 2. In rural areas, the overall unemployment rate increased from 8.4% to 23.8%.
