Even now, it does not appear all the migrant workers who were moving have finally reached their homes. Many of them are still left in the lurch — in make shift shelters awaiting reports on their covid status or the last mile travel to their homes. Despite getting almost two months many state governments, for example, the West Bengal one, apparently had no arrangement for their journey even after reaching the home state.

Until now, there is hardly any established and agreed survey to ascertain exactly how many migrants travelled or the correct count of migrant workers. There are varying accounts. While the railways have given the count as some sixty lakh, court statements were given their numbers were one crore migrants having travelled. What are the lessons from this sad episode of collective failure.

On current reckoning, all the lessons appear to have been lost on the authorities —both at the national and state levels. Even now, we possibly do not know —or haven’t bothered to keep track —of the number for these migrant workers who were moving from one end of the country to another and who, for now, are seeking to get rehabilitation and fresh employment in their home states.

The tragic episode of the migration of these labourers represent the collective failures of the pan-Indian administration — from the central government to their host states to home states. That they had to travel in such dire circumstances and through such ordeals is the failure of national co-ordination and lack of commitment towards these people.

First of all, the extent of migration of unskilled workers is a commentary on the failure of all development in some parts of the country — mainly it can be said broadly the eastern region. their home states were so inefficient that they could not provide minimal employment opportunities to these unskilled workers who had to migrate. It is common sense that people would seek employment near their place or origin and would move as a compulsion only if nothing is available.

The home states of the migrants were the least developed. So then, trains are carrying loads of them to UP, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan. The more the trains are moving to these states from far off places the greater the indictment on the state governments for their failure to develop. If other states could make progress, these state governments have no justification for their state of miserable development.

As for the host states, they have never bothered that a solid body of workers from elsewhere were essential gears of their local economic engine. They did not bother to provide them minimum social benefits and thought these people do not deserve any support.

The direction of movement of these migrant labourers also indicate how lopsided has been our development outcomes. The labourers have moved like water to find their places of work, irrespective of where these are. But then, why did so many of them had to keep moving instead of finding earning sources near their homes.

On the other hand, excepting in some isolated cases, the host state authorities have never bothered to keep the migrant where they were. Why should the migrants have taken the risk to move if some shelter, modicum of comforts and food were made available to them by the state authorities. The cost fr providing these would have been far less than the forthcoming disruption in the host state’s economies —which is about to start now— following mass exodus of the migrant labourers. Many of these migrants have stated on TV channels that they would never return to their host states.

These migrant workers were doing a variety of jobs from jobs that called for no special skills to moderately skilled jobs like metal work, welding, electrical assignments, services and a wide variety of repair jobs. Some activities like construction depended heavily on these workers.

While the massive body of migrant workers is an eloquent testimony to the uneven development of the country which now cries out for correction, it underscores the point that it is not safe to put all your eggs in one —or select— boxes. The development outcomes in the country should have been such that the earning and livelihood opportunities be spread far and wide throughout the country so that sudden disruptions in one part should not drag down the overall national economy. It is fairly easy to predict that the utter chaos in Maharashtra, and more particularly around Bombay industrial belt, should leave a heavy toll on economic activities in general. For example, the return of the pharmaceutical industry to some kind of normalcy might be delayed because of the heavy casualty of infections and departure of the migrants from this region.

Sadly, as a result of the movements of these migrant workers, the recovery of the Indian economy will inevitably be long and delayed, possibly beyond even reasonable periods. The construction industry, which is a engine for the economy, would be very much hamstrung when the migrant workers were gone.

These migrant workers cannot be expected to move back once the lock down is lifted fully. How would that vacuum be filled and the economy cranks back into action without the complement of these workers.

The home states would be hard put to offer much of an opportunity to them either, undeveloped as they are. What can happen is a worse competition for the crumbs of whatever is available and this could very well drive the wage rates to rock bottom levels in the home states. (IPA Service)