COVID-19 Pandemic: Charting the Way Forward for Migrant Workers
The imposition of lockdowns caused a massive loss of livelihoods, increasing incidents of hunger and distressed demand for labour. States are weakening their labour laws further making the workers vulnerable and disadvantageously placed. Therefore, it is very important to provide employment and livelihoods to workers to uphold their right to work as citizens and endorse the dignity and bargaining power of millions of workers during the pandemic. MGNREGA being an effective policy tool, its careful repurposing and extension of its scope may improve the level of employment, avoid distressed sale and declining bargaining power of the migrant workers during this pandemic.
