As per the press release, it has stated that:
National Human Rights Commission addresses different types of human right violations of the citizens including inter-state migrant workers. For this purpose there are various laws which inter-alia include:
- the Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970,
- the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979,
- the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996,
- the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008,
- the Minimum Wages Act, 1948,
- the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976,
- the Sexual Harassment Of Women At Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition And Redressal) Act, 2013,
- the Prevention of Atrocities (Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes) Act, 1989, and
- the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
Migrant labourers work in various occupations. There are several social security and welfare schemes for these workers engaged in such occupations.
The details of some of the schemes are as follows:
- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), both launched in 2015, aim to provide housing for all by 2022.
- Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) launched in 2015 provide for life & disability cover due to natural or accidental death.
- Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Man Dhan Pension Scheme (PM-SYM) launched in March, 2019 provides for old age social security in the form of monthly pension.
- Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) launched in 2018 provides Rs.5 lakh health coverage for secondary and tertiary health benefits to workers including migrant workers who are covered as eligible beneficiaries as per Socio Economic Caste census Data, 2011.
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has recently launched a scheme called Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHC) to address the accommodation needs of migrant workers.
- One Nation One Ration Card Scheme has facilitated portability of provisions of ration through PDS shops across the country for the migrant workers and their families.
However, during Covid – 19 pandemic period, Union Government has taken several additional measures for the benefits of workers, such as:
- creation of 39.51 lakh new job opportunities by crediting Rs.2583 crores in EPF accounts under Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY),
- benefits of Rs.2567 crores to retain 38.91 lakh low wage employees under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY),
- financial assistance of Rs.7413 crore to Building & other Construction Workers (BOCW),
- unemployment benefit under Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana (ABVKY),
- Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan (PMGKRA) generating 50.78 crore mandays with Rs.39,293 crores,
- working capital loan to street vendors under PMSVA Nidhi Scheme,
- free food grain of 5 kg per person per month to all Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) beneficiaries, and
- special training programme under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana in the selected districts having high concentration of returnee migrant workers.
The above information was given by Shri Rameswar Teli, Minister of State, Ministry of Labour & Employment in Rajya Sabha.