Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

During this lockdown period, not just labourers, 23 lakh people, including plumbers, electricians, gym trainers, nurses, and others, have returned to their villages in Uttar Pradesh. While they were arriving from big cities by buses, trains, trucks and on foot, they all were constantly thinking: “What next?”

In Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government has launched the largest campaign in the country – “skill mapping” millions of people by going from one village to the other. The Department of Revenue is creating a database of migrants’ skills. The Department of MSME (Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) will then provide them employment and jobs. In its swift execution at the panchayat level, 8.75 lakh migrant people have been registered until May 22.

Thirty-five-year old Lallan Prasad from Basti district in Uttar Pradesh used to work as a plumber in Bengaluru and has now come back. Talking to Gaon Connection over the phone from his village Matawariya, he said: “I am eighth pass. I was in Bangalore (Bengaluru) for a year-and-a-half. If I get work in Uttar Pradesh, I will remain here even if I get half the money. At least then I can get home when needed and my expenses will be lower than in other cities.”

Since the nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24, in Uttar Pradesh alone more than 23 lakh people have returned from other states. Navneet Sehgal, Principal Secretary, MSME department, Uttar Pradesh, told Gaon Connection: “Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has now initiated a massive campaign to provide employment within the state to daily wage labourers, construction workers, drivers, painters, tailors and beauticians who have lost their livelihood in other states.”

He added: “In the villages of Uttar Pradesh, data pertaining to every person quarantined at various school in villages and houses is being gathered. The report was sent to the government through ASHA workers and gram samitis.”

Uttar Pradesh is a hub of migrant workforce in India. The workers and labourers of Uttar Pradesh contribute significantly to the country’s economy, but millions of its migrant work force is forced to go back to their own state to avoid hunger and uncertainty following the outbreak of coronavirus. The Yogi government has announced the formation of a “Migrant Commission” this week, which will plan and implement issues related to migrants.

The state government is also considering to provide insurance benefits to migrant workers at the state level. The chief minister, after meeting with the chairmen of various committees formed to deal with the corona crisis in Lucknow on May 24, said that the government is formulating a plan to ensure that the job security of these people (migrants returning home) is ensured in the state itself so that they aren’t forced to flee away from their families in search of jobs.”

The majority of people returning to the state following the lockdown are from Purvanchal and Bundelkhand regions. In Lalitpur district alone, more than 50,000 migrants had returned to the district until May 19. Most of them are also being given work under MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) after completing the quarantine period. In Lalitpur, 56,000 people were working under MGNREGA until May 22.

Talking about the district-wise registration until May 22, 87,5819 people had been registered in the entire state. Of these, 47,617 people were registered from Balrampur district, 46,527 in Ambedkar Nagar, 19,732 in Ayodhya, 27,846 in Azamgarh, 29,579 in Basti, 29,360 in Banda, 43,433 in Hardoi, 25,434 in Lakhimpur Khiri, 25,843 in Rae Bareli, 31,581 in Sitapur and 76 people were registered on the basis of their employment in Gautam Budh Nagar.

Under skill mapping, the government is also creating a different database based upon the skills of these people. By May 17, 2,973 plumbers like Lallan had returned to the state. The database was prepared for 64 trades, including 9,110 painters, 5,112 carpenters, 1,895 cooks, 3,279 drivers and 54,130 construction labourers, 69,112 non-trade (additional work). Those arriving also included 21,6318 untrained workers.

Anil Pandey, the chief development officer of Lalitpur, told Gaon Connection: “There are a large number of those who have migrated to the district and do not want to work in MGNREGS. We are conducting skill mapping through committees at every village level. As per the directions from the chief minister, we are trying our best not only to hone up their skills, but also to provide them work according to their skills so that they do not have to flee again.”

In Uttar Pradesh, following the lockdown, arrangements were made to turn schools into quarantine centres for those coming back to villages. Later on, the system of home quarantine was also implemented. The details of every person coming to the villages are being recorded through ASHA workers and committees. The chairperson of these committees is the pradhan, while information has been gathered through ASHA worker and other panchayat level employees.

Kushum, ASHA of Atesuwa gram panchayat in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, said: “We had furnished the complete information about anyone coming to our village. Twenty-three people had arrived in our village, Atesuwa, most of them were employed as tailoring, Zardoji and embroidery craftsmen when their work was stopped and therefore they had to come back.”