Topic – poverty and developmental issues
4) Economic Survey last year highlighted that India has one of the highest intra country migration among its peers, yet there are several problems faced by migrant workers in India, particularly in unorganized sector. Examine the issues involved and suggest remedial measures?(250 words)
Why this question
The article highlights the plight of migrant workers, their poor working conditions, wages etc. The article also explains that the existing mechanism hardly take into cognizance these plights and thus corrective actions are not taken. Migration is a reality in India and people travel in the look out for better opportunities to work, improve their standard of life etc. The issue faced by such people and their remedial actions are important for GS1 – Sociology section.
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to bring out the issues of different kinds faced by the migrant workers. Thereafter, we need to examine the existing checks and balances in the system and explain their shortcomings and suggest corrective actions.
Directive word
Examine – When you are asked to examine, you have to probe deeper into the topic, get into details, and find out the causes or implications if any .
Structure of the answer
Introduction – Paint a brief picture of the status and nature of migration in the country along with the reasons. Highlight that the constitution grants us freedom of movement. Highlight the recent incident of attack against UP and Bihari migrants in Gujarat.
Body –
- Bring out the issues faced by the migrants – poor working conditions, less than minimum wages, segmenting local and migrant population for work, resentment from local workers etc
- Discuss the importance of migrants in running India’s mega cities and how they contribute to economic growth
- Highlight the existing regulations and legislations to protect the migrants – Under the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act and other labour laws (for unorganised workers), migrant workers in Gujarat are legally entitled to all their basic labour rights. These include minimum wages, regular wage payment, regular working hours and overtime payment, and decent working and living conditions which include taking care of the health and education of their children. Under the same Act, the governments of the States from where migrant workforce originate are expected to issue licences to contractors who take workers away, register such workers and also monitor their working and living conditions in other States.
- Discuss the lacunae in the Act and implementation of the Act due to which the problem persists
Conclusion – Discuss the importance of migrants and the need to protect freedom of movement of these workers and suggest corrective measures.
