MIGRANT LABOURERS

NEWS: Rising LPG prices and shortages in cities are forcing migrant workers to reconsider urban livelihoods and temporarily return to villages.

KEY CONCERNS

• Rising fuel costsà increasing food & daily expenses, worsening cost of living.
• Migrantsà facing economic insecurity + fear of future crises, influencing decisions to leave cities temporarily.
• High cooking costs force households to skip meals or shift to cheaper options.
• Migrants increasingly rely on firewood or waste fuels, leading to health risks and unsafe living conditions.

Measures to Address Issues of Migrant Labourers

• Implementation of schemes àe-Shram Portal to provide portable benefits, including insurance, pensions, and welfare support.
• Access to food security through One Nation One Ration Cardà ensure migrants receive subsidised food anywhere in India.
• Enforce labour laws+ mandate employer responsibility for safe housing, sanitation, and occupational safety, especially in construction and informal sectors.
• Develop a comprehensive, real-time migrant worker database through inter-state coordination to enable targeted policy interventions.
• Promote upskilling and integration into formal employmentà via schemes like PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana

Initiatives for Migrant Labourers

• e-Shram Portalà National database of unorganised workers with a one-stop platform to access multiple welfare schemes.
• PM SVANidhià Offers collateral-free working capital loans to street vendors to support livelihood recovery and self-employment.
• Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojanaà Ensures ₹3,000 monthly pension after 60 years for unorganised workers earning below ₹15,000/month.
• Ayushman Bharat PM-JAYà Provides ₹5 lakh health coverage with portability across India, benefiting migrant workers.
• One Nation One Ration Cardà Migrants to access subsidised food anywhere in India using the same ration card.
• Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojanaà Provides free food grains and support to poor households, including migrant workers.