Migrant Workers in India: Challenges, Contributions, and the Path Forward

Introduction

Migration is one of the characteristic features of the Indian labour market. Millions of workers migrate seasonally or permanently from their home villages to urban and industrial areas in pursuit of livelihood. These migrant workers are the backbone of India’s economy, contributing to infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, construction, transport, and service sectors. In spite of being the most vital part of the economy, they are one of the most vulnerable and underrepresented sections of society.

Status of Migrant Workers in India

India has an estimated over 100 million internal migrant workers according to government and independent estimates, representing almost one-fifth of the workforce. They work in industries like construction, textile, brick kilns, domestic work, agriculture, small-scale industries, and transport.

Despite this, the status of migrant workers is characterized by structural issues:

• Job insecurity – Migrant workers have no assurance of continuity in their informal and contractual employment.
• No social security – Coverage for provident fund, health insurance, and pension is limited.
• Poor working conditions – Migrants stay in temporary accommodations or squalid urban slums with poor sanitation and healthcare.

• Limited schooling for children

  – Frequent changes in residence disallow the children of migrant workers from accessing quality education.

• Exclusion from welfare programs – Most migrants are unable to access benefits of government programs because of domicile-based entitlements and absence of portability of benefits.

Migrant Workers in Bihar

Bihar is one of the biggest labor-exporting states of India. Agriculture is still the major occupation in Bihar, but insufficient industrial growth and rural employment conditions compel lakhs of workers to migrate to other states like Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.

Principal characteristics of Bihar’s migration are:

• Big outflow volume – Significant portions of the workforce migrate temporarily for employment in agriculture (e.g., harvesting) and construction.
• Remittance dependence – Remittances that migrants send constitute an important source of money for rural families, supporting consumption, healthcare, and education.
• Socio-economic difficulties – Remaining families, particularly women and children, experience social, emotional, and economic pressures.
• Pandemic lessons – The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the forefront the vulnerable status of Bihari migrant workers returning in huge numbers, emphasizing the need for generation of local jobs.

Significance of Migrant Workers

Migrant workers’ contribution is beyond the boundaries of their specific workplaces. Their contribution can be explained at various levels:

• Economic support system of cities – Migrant workers offer cheap labor for construction, transport, domestic work, hospitality, and small-scale industries.
• Rural development via remittances – Remittances brought home augment the rural economy, enhancing the availability of quality food, education, and healthcare.
• Balance of Labor market – Migration corrects regional labour demand-supply imbalances.
• Role in nation-building – From constructing roads, bridges, and metros to maintaining food supplies and urban services, migrants are an integral part of India’s growth story.

Role of Gramshree Kisan School

Acknowledging the role and difficulty faced by migrant workers, Gramshree Kisan School, Patna, is determined to provide sustainable livelihood options in Bihar itself to alleviate the compulsion of distress migration. This includes:

• Skill Development & Training

Giving on-the-job training in agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry, and rural industries.

Employment generation and preparation of youth for self-employment and entrepreneurship in the agri-allied sector.

• Promotion of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)

Facilitating formation and development of FPOs to empower farmers to attain collective bargaining strength.

Facilitating value addition by food processing, branding, and direct marketing.

• Employment Generation in Bihar

Connecting farmers and rural youth with agro-based industries and local supply chains.

Developing cluster-based enterprise to provide assured income and curtail outmigration.

• Awareness and Empowerment

Organizing awareness programs on government welfare schemes, financial literacy, and social security.

Assisting migrant families in availing institutional support.

• Reintegration of Returning Migrants

Helping the return migrants in securing decent opportunities in rural Bihar.

Instilling confidence in them to apply their skills and knowledge acquired outside in starting local businesses.

Conclusion

Migrant laborers are not just workers; they are country builders working towards developing both urban and rural areas. Their ordeal during the pandemic has also highlighted the necessity for improved protection, social security, and decent livelihoods.

Bihar, being one of the key labor-supplying states, needs to improve rural employment opportunities so that migration is an option and not a necessity. Institutions such as Gramshree Kisan School have an essential role in this process by developing skills, possibilities, and people’s solidarity. Enabling migrant workers is not only an issue of justice but also a strategy for inclusive and sustainable development of India.