Whatever ration the people are getting is mainly Atta, Daal, Rice or Oil. These too are supplied mainly by the Philanthropist organizations. Contribution of the government is much less. The Atta, Daal and rice form the staple food but they are not a balanced meal. For normal growth a person needs 2100 calories which should be met with from the balanced food. The Balanced food includes Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats, Vitamins and Minerals. At the present price index, the balanced food to meet basic caloric and nutritional requirements for a family of 5 members costs about 14000 rupees per month. If we add to this other basic minimum needs for education, clothing, electricity, water supply, mobile phones and recreation, the amount comes to at least double of this. The 15th Indian Labour Conference held in July 1957 had said that the wages of the workers should be calculated accordingly. But nothing concrete has been done till date.

This food requirement is essential to develop basic immunity in a person to fight the disease. But as we are facing COVID-19 Pandemic, we need more immunity to protect ourselves from the infections. With the acute shortage of food intake, what to talk of balanced meal, how do we expect these workers to develop immunity. The likelihood of any person with poor nutrition in getting infected is much more than a person taking balanced meal. The question of women's health safety is even much more serious. Pregnant and lactating women need more food but under the present circumstances of loss of job, no income, dependence of food at mercy coupled with uncertainties, fulfilling the requirement of food is a dream for the poor workers’ families. Issue of women’s sanitary needs is an important issue which is being ignored completely.

Since most of the workers live in shanty areas sharing the rooms the physical distancing is not possible. As per some reports 6-7 workers share a room of 8 x 10 feet size, without any separate toilet facilities.

Since there is no job at the present place, the workers want to go home to their families. But as there is no train or bus service, they along with children and women are walking on the roads several hundreds of kilometres without food and water. Many of them, including children have died.

Stress and strain on the workers mind is unimaginable. This is because of hunger and being away from their kith and kin and also fear of COVID-19. But it is being hardly taken as seriously by the authorities. They need proper arrangements to fulfill their nutritional needs and emotional needs. So minimum what can be done is to ensure three square meals a day to each and every person. For this to make the public distribution system universal. Each and every person should be given at least 7-8 thousand rupees per month in addition to the ration. Workers’ housing has to be taken care of and this opportunity should give us an insight into the planning.

Most of the workers are neither covered under the EPF nor they are enrolled in the ESIC. The Ayushman bharat which covers fifty crores families gives coverage for indoor patients only. Those attending to outdoor consultations have no entitlement in Ayushman Bharat. In this scheme there are several clauses like if one has a motorcycle or a pucca house, is not covered under Ayushmann Bharat benefits. Therefore a large number of people who the government says have been covered in Ayushman Bharat are excluded automatically. Neither has this scheme any mention of food security to the people which is the most essential part of the life.

Workers are the foundation stone of the nation. To fulfil their basic needs is our duty and their right, for which they raise collective voice on 1st May every year. During this COVID-19 crisis special steps need to be taken to ensure their care. (IPA Service)