After the stupendous success of the NDA coalition, specifically the BJP in the just concluded general elections, we’ve got down to discuss and analyze the reasons behind this comeback, not witnessed in the largest democracy of the world since 1984. The BJP won the general elections, with 282 seats on its own. The alliance has 336 seats in the lower house of the Parliament. This is the highest number of seats won by any party on its own since the 1984 general elections, when the Congress had won a landslide victory. The victory has become a subject of popular debate-with intellectual minds giving deeper insights. How one state’s model of growth and development has become the illustrious example for others is a definite case in point. Arguments, as the case always, have been on both sides. However, one fact that comes to the fore is that common man is the means and end of this process-the process of democratic inclusion and mobilization of the electorate reflected in the record turnout.
Small successes define larger outcomes
P. Susama Kukumistays at Kandasar village of Ganjam district with her family. Being the eldest daughter of the family, the responsibility of providing income rested on her. After her marriage to a person of nearby village, conditions where hoped to improve. With a family of her own now and her husband without work, she started to search for work.
After some days, her husband deserted for another woman and took employment in Surat. Without any source of livelihood, Susama decided to go outside her village leaving her child with her younger widow sister and arrived at Bhubaneswar. There, she used to work as construction labour.
Recognizing migration in global development agenda
As of today, one out of seven persons in the world is either an international or internal migrant. This has led to rising awareness of migration and its importance as a public good. In the post-2015 Global Development Agenda, migration should be recognized explicitly and its associated factors be given due emphasis. The Report of the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda has mentioned international and internal migration as one of the important forces to impact the world by 2030. The Open Working Group for Sustainable Development Goals makes references to migration in seven out of the nineteen focus areas where migration could be integrated-Health, Education, Employment, Poverty Eradication, Sustainable Development, Promotion of Equality and Global Partnership. In addition to the above, the immediate need is to reduce migration costs, specifically recruitment costs. The report notes that publishing data on recruitment costs for low-skilled migrant workers in various corridors in regular intervals, similar to the remittance price database of the World Bank, can provide an effective metric for monitoring recruitment costs.
Uttar Pradesh as a migration hub (PANI)
Uttar Pradesh has traditionally remained as the centre of in-migration, particularly for labourers belonging to lower social classes. It is one of the most sought destinations and a prominent migration corridor for further out-migration. Most of the migrants work as casual and wage labourers with very limited or devoid of any educational attainment. They lack any skill set and hence have very few opportunities of earning a reasonable income at the destination place.
Uttar Pradesh, according to data collated from ‘SHRAM Datahub’, observed an inflow of about 2.8 million according to place of last residence, summed for all durations of residence. Out of this, 22 per cent of migrants are accounted for by Bihar, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. Adding the figure for migration within the state, the figure shoots upto about 79 million (all data according to 2001 census), indicating the extent of income disparity within the state and unequal growth experience. The incidence of migration is higher among the landless than farming households who are influenced by push factors like lack of regular off-farm and non-farm employment facilities in the villages and pull factors such as available employment opportunities in the cities and industrial place as well as strong social networks of migrants with relatives and friends.
Election, migrant workers and vote
Another general election are on the corner and millions of poor people who have stepped out from their villages to far flung urban areas are busy working as migrant labourers. These migrant labourers ponder about their livelihood rather participating in the largest democratic right to vote. They are no doubt going to be excluded from their right to vote and have little say in the election. As per the informal estimate, the seasonal migrant in India are said to be around 100 million. It is irony that, while migration is a fundamental right of the citizen of India to move the length and breadth of India and choose their occupation, the issues of poor migrants and their participation in the democratic governance system is a grave concern.
An agreement of torture:Pathuria system (NGO PARDA)
The bonded labour system (Abolition) Act 1976 lays down certain provisions to ensure the safety of bonded labourers. In principle, the Act abolishes the system of bondage that occurs rampantly. Labour contractors still hire labourers for an advance payment, forcing them to work for indefinite periods, making them believe that they’re still in debt.
According to the Bonded Labor (abolition) act 1976 it has been said that the It is important to ensure that certificates in respect of individual bonded laborers identified as such are issued promptly in the language which is intelligible to the bonded labourers. Prosecution of employers must go simultaneously but separately with identification and release of bonded labourers. Delay in conviction of the bonded labour keeper or even his eventual acquittal should not inhibit or stall the rehabilitation process. The Ministry of Labour, Government of India has initiated a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under which Rs. 20,000 is provided for the rehabilitation of each bonded labourer, to be equally contributed by the Centre and the State Governments.
Western Odisha has a long history of migration, thanks to its depressed and destitute economic and social conditions. One such district is Nuapada, which is witness to numerous horrific cases of harassment and manhandling of migrant labourers. it has the pathuria system ,wherein a family of three- parents + one child (6to10 years) – makes a unit under.
A story we often hear (NGO UDAYAMA)
A certain Brushpati Putel from a remote village in Bolangir district has been undertaking his journey as a migrant, pushed and compelled by the distressed economic situation at his district. As a construction worker, he along with his family migrates to various destinations, wherever a suitable employment can be located. Temporary employment is the only source of sustenance for his family of five.
His story is no different from that of numerous other migrants, travelling in search of eking out a livelihood, most often under harsh circumstances. Termed as the ‘invisible’ population, they remain undocumented and without enumeration in any official records. As a result, they pose no proof of their identity, neither of their dignity.
Recent trends in migration flows across states
There have been numerous studies conducted and reports written on the increasing flow of persons within states. The trend of internal migration has become more intense in the backdrop of rural development initiative. As most of the migrant flows are observed from rural to urban areas, the debate in academic circles engages on the condition of migrant families at destination areas. Here we use the resources from the SHRAM database, extracting migration data from 2001 census reports to infer the recent trends in migration flows across states.
Voicing the concerns of the child migrant
There exist vast disparities when it comes to treatment of a usual child and the child of a migrant. When it comes to a migrant child, he/she is met out unequal treatment to say the least. Abuse, harassment, trafficking, forced labour is a part of their lives just by the virtue of being a migrant. Being the “invisible population” they remain out of sight from the government’s policy making process.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child ratifies certain articles that cater to the needs of a child. The articles of the Convention, in addition to laying the foundational principles from which all rights must be achieved, call for the provision of specific resources, skills and contributions necessary to ensure the survival and development of children to their maximum capability. The convention came up repeatedly in discussion as to the difficulties in the governance and application of the same. There are approximately 15 million child migrants in India with one-third in the age group of 0-14 years.
Voting for an identity
With election season in full bloom, political parties have released their manifestos which among other promises, contains special mention of migrants. Take for example the Congress manifesto for upcoming assembly polls; it promises to double the city’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), improve infrastructure and provide better living conditions for migrants if elected back to power. Delhi, reputed for the large influx of migrants each year, is witnessing rising migrant population. It is an established fact that migration is one of the important factors contributing to the growth of urban population. The total urban population of the country increased from 217.6 million in 1991 to 283.6 million in 2001 registering a growth rate of 30.3 per cent (according to census 2001). The migration data indicates that 20.5 million people enumerated in urban areas are migrants from rural areas who moved in within the last 10 years. Out of the total 30.3 percent growth in the previous decade, 6.6 percent is accounted by migrants. Speaking of Delhi, it received the highest number of migrants from other states with 1.9 million followed by Greater Mumbai with 1.5 million. It comes as no surprise then that migrant population has found fervor in political circles.
