The Indian Catastrophe: MP Migrants' Crisis Amidst Covid-19

The Covid-19 outbreak put massive stress on the global healthcare infrastructure, causing majority of countries to enforce lockdowns and social distancing regulations. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of the nationwide lockdown in March 2020 triggered an additional crisis: lakhs of migrant workers stranded without work or transport facilities across states.This report examines the employment status and living conditions of migrant workers who returned to Madhya Pradesh during the lockdown as well as the government support extended to them. It was published in August 2021 by the Madhya Pradesh Migrant Volunteer Team, in collaboration with the Shivpuri-based Zenith Society for Socio-Legal Empowerment.The report contains the results of a survey of 2,943 migrant workers – 92 per cent of whom are male – across 52 districts of MP. About 34 per cent of respondents were from the general category, 31 per cent were Other Backward Class (OBC), 15 per cent were Scheduled Caste (SC) and 15 per cent were from Schedule Tribes (STs). Roughly 83 per cent of respondents were between 15 and 34 years, and 45 per cent were between 25 and 34 years.The 113-page publication contains six chapters: Demographical Information (chapter I); Pre-Covid Situation (chapter II); Transport, Quarantine & Registration (chapter III); Post Pandemic Details (chapter IV); Labour Legislations in India – Need for Reform (chapter V); and Migrant Stories: Tragedy and Hope Intertwined (chapter VI).