The government should setup a permanent cell and helpline in the labour department to support the migrants. In addition, to ensure employment in the state of Jharkand, along with NREGA, it is important to ensure people’s ownership over natural resources and mineral wealth, proactively implement forest right act, ensure people, especially the unemployed and workers, get rights to collect and sell forest produce, develop local food and forest-produce processing units, provide adequate MSP for millets and coarse grains and immediately provide free seeds to the farmers. The pro-activeness shown by the Jharkhand government in bringing workers back now needs to reflect in ensuring local employment for them.
Over 250 people participated in a webinar organized yesterday by the Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha in which about fifteen workers of Jharkhand shared accounts of their hardships during the lockdown and also articulated their demands from the government. Another nine workers who had confirmed their participation could not join the webinar because of hurdles such as poor internet connection, low battery in their phone due to lack of electricity and unfamiliarity with the online application used for organising the webinar.
When the lockdown was imposed, lakhs of workers from Jharkhand were working in other more prosperous states of the country. As economic activity came to a halt in March-end, many workers began to face economic insecurities. Twenty-six-year-old Sudama Sharan Kewat from Dhanbad, who was working in a factory producing spinning machines in Coimbatore, was not paid for the duration of the lockdown. In the absence of wages, he had to go hungry for two-three days before he received some cash support.
Thirty-seven-year-old Soharai Marandi from Bokaro had been working in an iron casting plant in Karnataka. However, he was forced to stop working once the lockdown was imposed. When asked whether he received food support during the lockdown, he said, “Kiska kha rahe the, pata nahi. Baad mein pata chala ki hamara hi paisa kat gaya”. The cost of food was deducted from his pending wages. He also did not receive wages for the lockdown period. Based on government announcements, he believed that workers like him will be given some cash support for the period they were unable to work, but his hopes were dashed. Despite registering with Jharkhand government, he is yet to get the promised amount of Rs 2000. Renuka from the Gharelu Kamgar Sangathan shared that as most domestic workers were unable to work during the lockdown, they did not get their salary for this period. Some were even laid off.
Once the government allowed inter-state movement, many workers began to go back home. They went back in trucks, hired vehicles, buses, trains, flights and even on foot. Vijay Korwa and Sanjay Korwa of Garhwa said that they paid Rs 900 each for a ride on a truck from Delhi to Allahabad and then they had to walk more than 300 km to reach home. Etoram Tudu of Bokaro had to also pay Rs. 900 for his train ticket from Kerala to Jasidih. Many others also had to pay for their travel arrangement and were informed about them at very little notice.
The lockdown was no easier for those working near their place of residence. Budhni Devi, working as a safai karmchari since the age of 10 years, used to get Rs 3000 a month from the Dhanbad Municipal Corporation. But after the lockdown, both she and her husband became unemployed. She received Rs 500 in her Jan Dhan account, but that does not last for more than two days.
Although most workers are now back home, their misery is far from over. Nineteen-year-old Sapna Dadka, who worked as domestic help in Mumbai, is now back in Chaibasa, but is currently staying in a poorly equipped quarantine that lacks beds and serves meals with delays. She cannot wait to meet her parents! Many home quarantined workers did not receive the dry ration packet, as announced by Jharkhand government.
Those who have completed their time in quarantines are staring at unemployment. Amol Tigga from Hazaribagh, Md. Gulzar from Godda and Etoram Tudu remarked on the absence of NREGA work their panchayats. Gulzar said, “Majboori mein baahar jaana padta hai. Agar yehaan kaam milega to kyon baahar jayenge. Baahar mein kitna mushkil hota hai, ye humlog jaante hain”.
This sentiment was shared by all the workers who participated. Worker after worker demanded employment near their homes. Pappu Singh, a folk artist from Latehar who is still in Ludhiana, conveyed this sentiment through his spirited song. Sudama Sharan Kewat commented that even though Jharkhand is so rich in natural resources, its workers are forced to migrate outside the state in search of work. Twenty-one-year-old Guddu Yadav from Palamau who got stuck in Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu), said that he doesn’t mind earning a little less if he can get assured employment in or around his village. He has elderly parents at home. Suraj Toppo, a 30-year-old NREGA worker, requested the government to increase the NREGA wage rate from Rs 194 to Rs 300, the amount paid for daily labor in urban areas. He also added that wages of work done in January were still pending.
Ambika Yadav from Jharkhand Kisan Parishad urged the government to increase its investment on agriculture. He explained that farmers begin sowing about ten days before the commencement of monsoon, which is expected to take place on 10 June. However, many farmers are unable to do so this year as they don’t have money for buying seeds and other inputs. He also added how grossly inadequate the support under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Yojana is. Budhni Devi suggested an increase in the quantity of foodgrains provided from the Public Distribution System and the addition of pulses and edible oil in the monthly food rations.
The webinar highlighted the extreme difficulties faced by workers even before the lockdown. Due to poverty, many of them were forced to quit education at a young age and start working. But absence of employment opportunities in Jharkhand forced many of them to migrate to other parts of the country. Many are paid much less than the statutory minimum wage and have to work as per the whims of their employers and contractors. They also lack adequate support networks in the place where they work.
Jean Drèze from Ranchi University expressed his apprehension that even after the lockdown is lifted, rates of employment will be lower than before the lockdown. He pointed out that India was probably the only country in the world where transportation facilities such as trains were cancelled before the lockdown was announced officially. But it is very encouraging that workers are raising their voice to assert their demands. The lockdown has highlighted the acute shortage of employment opportunities in Jharkhand, which has forced a large section of the state’s workers to migrate for work. There is much scope for developing employment opportunities in the state, especially agriculture, horticulture and NREGA works. He added that instead of developing the local human and natural resources, the state’s mineral resources are sold to the central government and private companies at throwaway prices. Also, the central government owes Jharkhand about Rs. 80,000 crores for the minerals.
James Herenj (Jharkhand NREGA Watch) added that NREGA work not only provides employment, but also results in the creation of productive assets such as plantation and farm ponds. Despite the importance of the Act in Jharkhand, the current NREGA wage rate is much below the state’s minimum wage rate, making work under the employment guarantee act highly unremunerative.
Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha strongly urges the central and state governments to listen to the workers, redress their grievances and heed to their demands. Mahasabha also reiterates the demands made earlier.
The webinar was moderated by Elina Horo and Pallavi Pratibha on behalf of Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha. The video of the webinar can be accessed here – https://youtu.be/xOjsnexMAUg
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