project
Support to Returning Migrant Labourers and their Families
people served
180,000
themes
Livelihoods
location
Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chatissgarh, Maharashtra
What are the challenges?
The sudden COVID-19 lockdown in India triggered the largest mass migration in South Asia since partition, and a humanitarian crisis. Many tens of millions of migrant labourers across India were left homeless and without work overnight. Without the wages they were owed, or any transport, they began to make their way back to their home states, attempting to cross vast distances on foot. Suicide, starvation and psychological traumas among the survivors are widespread.
What is the aim of the project?
The project aims to support returning migrants with emergency aid, to connect them with available government schemes, and to facilitate their return to dignified and meaningful work.
While there are many different government schemes available to help migrant workers and their families, it is often difficult for people to access them, because of lack of knowledge, not having the right documents, not being able to navigate the bureaucracy and issues with the scheme delivery mechanisms. This project builds on our previous work to make sure migrant workers and their families get all the benefits they are entitled to.
What are the main activities?
The main activities are:
- Establishing Migrant Resource Centres at key destination sites
- Raising awareness among migrant households of, and connecting them to, social security benefits
- Funding a toll-free telephone helpline
- Facilitating the re-recruitment of migrant labourers into non-exploitative jobs
- Working closely with state and district officials to streamline backend processes
- Assisting in data analysis and systems improvement
- Helping the state departments to take ownership of project and statewide rollout
