By Irudhaya Jothi

Konchowki, July29, 2020: Trade unions have become irrelevant in post globalization era, paving way for industrialists to make unholy alliance with those in power to exploit workers, says a recent study.

In India, the trade unions had sidelined the concerns of migrants for long and kept them out of labor purview, says the study conducted by the Jesuit managed Indian Social Institute in Bengaluru along with Caritas India and Indo Global Social Service Society.

The institutions will release the 84-page study during an open online program at 11 am on July 30, where the stakeholders and eminent persons would present their views.

The study named “Walking with the Migrants Beyond Covid-19 Pandemic” notes that India’s story of Covid-19 has been marred with hunger, sufferings, blood stain and death of the migrant workers.

The study was conducted in 47 districts in 11 north and northeastern states from where the bulk of workers moved to south and western states for work.

As many as 700 migrants and stakeholders were interviewed on their future aspirations and expectations from government and Non Governmental Organizations, Civil Society Organization, Trade Unions, Corporate Social Responsibility wing of companies and peoples movements when they plan out some outreach programs to remedy the malady created by Covid-19 Pandemic.

KoBo Toolbox was effectively used for the data collection using mobile phones and tablets during this lockdown periods maintain the physical distancing direction.

The study says the crisis of the reverse migration exploded because of the unplanned and irresponsible sudden lock down with a 4-hour notice at 8 pm on March 24.

The heart wrenching stories of migrant workers struggling to get back to their homes moved many concerned citizens in pain. They carries children on the shoulders and their meager possession on their back and braved heat and hunger. They took unimaginable risk of walking thousands of miles on foot, the study notes.

Many concerned citizens responded creatively, some reaching out to them with food, and other others with money and some smarter ones floating an ad hoc WhatsApp and Telegram groups to reach the needy effectively.

The three institutions say the study would help in accompanying the migrants in several states in north and northeastern India served by the organizations.

Jesuit Priest Joseph Xavier, the executive director of Indian Social Instittue and the author of the study, told Matters India that he was disturbed looking at the exodus of the migrants on the roads and wanted to reach-out and walk with them post Covid-19 meaningfully.

While talking on collaboration with other institutions Father Xavier said, “Three of us agreed to work, bringing together the unique gifts of each organization.”

“What I cherish most is that the three organizations have collectively demonstrated a new culture of collaboration and the rich dividends such efforts could yield,” he added.

The Jesuits 36th general congregation asks them to collaborate and network with like-minded individuals and institutions in the mission of liberation at every level.

The study result was presented to a panel comprising bureaucrats, academicians, heads of network, national level NGOs and implementing partners their feedbacks were incorporated.

Babu Mathew, an activist and academician, penned the foreword to this study.

“The cities they built rejected them and chased them out labeling them as ‘corona carriers.’ Shame and fear were the lessons these migrants carried along with them, stripped of the minimum they had. The city dwellers did not want the migrants during distress times of coronavirus” Mathew bemoans.

A big chunk of the migrants are from excluded communities – Dalits (Schedule Castes), Adivasis (Scheduled Tribes) and economically vulnerable among other communities.

The study finds out the disempowering realities in the source states – unemployment, joblessness, debt, drought, lack of minimum wages, caste atrocities, discriminatory and exclusionary practices on one hand and longing for a dignified living on the other, forced the poor and vulnerable to leave their roots, lands, kith and kin to join the bandwagon of informal and casual labor.

Most were seasonal or circular migrants with no fixed destination at sight. While a majority of male folk traveled distant locations braving linguistic and cultural barriers, female folks largely moved around in various districts within the state.

Various studies estimate the number of migrants between 200 to 300 million, comprising of inter-state and intra-state. Census 2011 estimated these migrants to be 177.5 million.

According to International Labour Organisation, about 400 million people working in the informal economy in India are at risk of falling deeper into poverty due to the coronavirus crisis.

The Study shows that mass reverse migration happened because of untrustworthy, heartless and inconsiderate action of the majority employers who in connivance with governments, cheated, insulted and humiliated and stripped off even the minimum they possessed on their return back homes.

Different types of migration the study expounds are: Chain Migration, Forced Migration, Circular migration, Return or reverse migration, Seasonal Migration, Distress migration and Climigration(climate induced Migration).

The migrants are working as mazdoor, domestic work, garment industry, errand services, cooks, agriculture, gardening, manufacturing, and other menial works.

The push and pull factors of migration went for a toss with Covid-19 onslaught says the Jesuit priest.

The study suggests among others:

Take the technology to the villages to transform the lives of rural youth. The huge financial support by the Central government to MSME must have a rural thrust.

Gandhi ji’s Gram Swaraj is a viable alternative model. 


There should be a close coordination between source and destination state governments, to ensure safe and dignified migration.

As immediate measures of free ration to be provided to all citizens and particularly the migrants and reasonable cash transfer must be ensured.

The destination states must educate their population to have better and human relationship with migrants.