Mediaboss Marketing

In one of the boldest and bravest initiatives since the reforms of 1991, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have ushered in radical labour market reforms by freezing a vast number of acts and giving industries flexibility. Covid-19 has acted as a catalyst in eliminating red tapism, inspector raj and all that was antiquated in our labour laws. MP has also initiated a series of ease-of-doing-business process reforms a single form for registration; valid licences for the life of a project with no annual renewal; shops can open from 6am to midnight; from 61 registers and 13 returns for industries to just one return with self-certification and virtually no inspection by the labour department.

India has so far had the most inflexible labour market regulations, which hindered large scale investments, productivity and enhancement, technology absorption and high employment growth in Indian manufacturing. This has been the main reason why our enterprises have remained small in size and scale, leading to high informal employment. Our migrant crisis is a consequence of laws that protected workers and not jobs, adversely impacting economies of scale and ensuring rampant informalisation.

Several studies have shown that these laws hampered the ability of an enterprise to respond to changing business dynamics. Labour regulations with the intention of protecting the workers in the organised sector, were unintentionally preventing the expansion of industrial employment that could benefit a large mass of new workers.

The good thing about the new initiative is that all clauses related to minimum wages, the number of hours, safety and security measures have been kept fully functional; those related to child and bonded labour will also remain applicable. Another important feature that states must ensure is that terminated employees must get 45 days worth of salary for every year of work, as has been done in the case of Gujarat for SEZs.

It has to be kept in mind that large companies investing in India prefer a predictable and consistent policy regime for a long period and would not like to be surprised by the labour laws getting operational after a period of three years. In order to bring size and scale to manufacturing, there is a need to remove the permission clause for retrenchment, layoff and closure for all new units and increase the threshold for seeking permission for existing units from 100 to 1,000 workers. We should work towards a progressive, forward looking, new labour regime that will provide impetus to investment and job creation.

The other key area where states have accelerated the reform process is in agriculture, a sector that was crying out for transformation. The Covid-19 lockdown has severely impacted supply chains for farm produce and food processing sectors. Initially, Punjab broke the state monopoly by reframing the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee Act and Rules to allow private-owned markets and permit out-of-mandi transactions between farmers and consumers. This has been followed by MPs ordinance to totally free farm-produce markets. Next, UP a state highly dependent on agriculture amended the five-decade-old Krishi Utpadan Mandi Adhiniyam by giving farmers total freedom to sell directly from their homes. Warehouses and cold storages have been designated as mandis and fruits and vegetables have been taken out of their purview.

Similar provisions of granting deemed mandi status to warehouses and cold storages have been undertaken in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Farmer Producer Organisations have been allowed in most of the states to deal directly in the electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM). All these reforms break the monopoly of middlemen who are rampant in agriculture and have been highly exploitative of farmers.

What more can the states do to become highly competitive and efficient in the post Covid-19 world? In the agriculture sector they need to support small land holders through contract farming. Indias land holdings are extremely small (86% of land holdings are less than 2 hectares). Indian farmers, therefore, suffer due to lack of size and scale, technology, seeds, and fertiliser inputs and are unable to take market risks. States, therefore, need to implement the Model Contract Farming Act, 2018. As recommended by the 15th Finance Commission, states also need to implement the Agriculture Land Leasing Act for agricultural and allied activities, as has recently been done by UP, MP and Karnataka.

Second, the states need to implement conclusive land titling on topmost priority. Currently, registration means registration only of a deed or contract and not the property itself. This does not guarantee ownership of land. This has led to many land ownership related litigations (66% of civil cases are land related) and causes 1.3% lost growth per year. Australia, the UK, New Zealand and Singapore have all adopted conclusive land titling systems resulting in enhancement of land productivity. Several states have made excellent progress on land records digitisation and management. They should become the torchbearers for transacting towards conclusive land titling by adopting the Model Act on Conclusive Land Titling.

Third, Covid-19 has created a severe dilemma of lives and livelihoods for governments and citizens. A nationwide One Nation One Ration Card must become a reality enabling a migrant worker to get his ration from any fair price shop in India.

Fourth, states need to introduce a series of reforms in the electricity sector 100% smart metering; granting of subsidies only through direct benefit transfer; privatisation of discoms by way of sub-licensing and franchise models; and reduction in cross subsidy to ensure cost reflective tariff.

Covid-19 has confronted us with a range of challenges. Every crisis presents an opportunity. Indian states must seize this opportunity to usher in big, bold, structural reforms. We will never get this opportunity again.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Here is the original post:
Its now or never: States are driving bold reforms. We will never get this opportunity again, seize it - Economic Times

Ever since the government granted relaxations to the movement of migrant labourers and stranded citizens in various parts of the country, the Indian Railways has ferried over 125,000 passengers in 122 special trains.

However, a fresh row erupted on Wednesday after Karnataka government cancelled such special trains due to concerns over shortage of labour.

Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa appealed to over 100,000 workers who wished to go back to their native states to stay back as construction and industrial activities have begun. This led the opposition to attack state government, accusing it of treating migrants workers worse than "bonded labourers".

Yediyurappa announced a Rs 1,610 crore relief package for the benefit of those in distress due to the Covid-19-induced lockdown which included compensation of Rs 5,000 each for registered workers.

The Principal Secretary in the Revenue Department, N Manjunatha Prasad, who is the nodal officer for migrants, on Tuesday, cancelled the request for 10 Shramik Special trains. This reportedly happened after builders complained about the shortage of labourers if they were allowed to go back to their home states.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE updates

Migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal had created a ruckus in Bengaluru on May 4, demanding to be sent home.

Bihar opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav also launched an attack saying that "the BJP govt in Karnataka is trying to 'hold Bihari brethren hostage' and violating their human rights," and demanded a "strong message" from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Meanwhile, Kumar asked his officials to accord priority to absorb the migrants in the state's labour pool for their economic rehabilitation.

Andhra CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced that the government will pay for the travel of all the migrant workers back to their native states. He also instructed officers to ensure that one-time financial assistance of Rs 500 is given to all of them.

The Manipur government has also offered to pay the railway fare of stranded people, who want to return to their home state, chief minister N Biren Singh said on Wednesday.

In Bengal, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accused the Mamata Banerjee government of being insensitive towards the demands of those stuck in different states. He claimed that the Bengal government has not asked for any special train other than the two that have arrived from Rajasthan and Kerala.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir government said that the labourers can report for work at several project sites and earn their livelihoods. The government has identified several schemes and released contact details for the worksites where they can earn their livelihoods.

Originally posted here:
Migrant crisis deepens: Outrage after Karnataka stops special trains - Business Standard

Migrant workers, who were stranded in Gujarat due to the lockdown fill bottles with drinking water from a container as they wait to board a train that will take them to their home state of Bihar. (Reuters)

For the first time since independence, India saw such a large-scale movement of people on foot, Umi Daniel, director, migration and education at Aide et Action International told News18 in an interview. Daniel is an expert on migration issues and has studied the ongoing crisis that nationwide lockdown has thrown open for the migrant labourers amid global coronavirus pandemic.

Centre's policy on the issue of return of migrant labourers to their home states has not been very clear. What do you think is the reason?

I think when the nationwide lockdown was announced, the government had no information about these invisible people, as to how many were there, in which state etc. This lack of information has been quite apparent since the day the lockdown came into force. The Centre clearly did not anticipate so many people wanted to return to their homes. There was no Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) set in place. So, when the crisis of migrant labourers walking back to their home states began, there was confusion about how the governments would help them. Whether they would get buses into play or trains and who would pay for the transportation charges.

What have you found from your own observations?

We found that five lakh people had walked down to their villages in the last few weeks. This number is quite high. After the partition never have so many people walked through the country. It is also clear that the economically poorer states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha are going to have a tough time with so many of their locals returning to the state. Jharkhand has done appreciable work in managing this crowd, given their limited resources. But this is clearly going to be a challenge in days to come.

How long do you think the migration will last?

It's hard to say but at least for the coming six months to one year the problem and anxiety of labour force is going to be there. I think we have failed our migrant workers who came with a lot of hope to the cities to earn a decent living. There is deficit of trust, there is fear of disease and speculation of whether they will still have a job when conditions become suitable for their return. A task force that works in coordination between the Centre and the states will have to answer these questions of the migrant labour force. States which send a bulk of migrant labourers, who are now returning to their homes, will have to be extended extra help.

See the original post here:
We Have Failed Our Migrant Workers Who Came to Cities With Hope, Crisis to Stay for a Year: Expert - News18

Text Size:A- A+

Bareilly: Nearly 1,000 migrant workers reached Bareilly from Punjabs Ludhiana Wednesday, relieved to be finally back in their home state. But the 600-kilometre journey on the Central government-run Shramik Express, which took a little more than 11 hours, was marked by no provisions for food and water.

Speaking to ThePrint upon their arrival in the Uttar Pradesh city, several workers complained that the Punjab government asked them to arrange for their own meals and water.

However, they were given the railway tickets free of cost an issue that became political this week over the share of Centre and states.

We didnt eat anything since the time we boarded the train. Forget food, the Punjab government didnt even provide us with water for the journey we know how we have come such a long way, said 28-year-old Nooni Ram, who ran a small eatery in Ludhiana and was on his way to Aonla town in Bareilly district.

The government sent us a message yesterday asking us to carry food and water for the journey. There were no shops open, how can we arrange it all for our family? Ram said.

He was referring to a message from the Ludhiana district magistrate (DM), which asked the workers to carry food and water for the journey, adding the travel will be dependent on their medical screening. All the workers carried a medical certificate to get clearance for the journey.

Ram was travelling with his wife and a two-year-old child. We only had two popcorn packets to feed the child during the train journey, he said.

Anuj, a tailor who was also on his way to Aonla, said, We were really confused about the train timing. Even though the train was scheduled for 3 am, it only started after a few hours.

We had requested the authorities to delay the schedule to at least 6 am as we had to make arrangements we have families but they didnt comply. We couldnt sleep at night out of tension and anxiety, he added.

The train that started around 6 am, reached Bareilly at 5.30 pm.

Another distressed migrant worker, from Sirauli in Bareilly, said she had to repeatedly breastfeed her 6-month-old kid to keep him from crying. I didnt have water or food looks like our tensions never end, she added.

The workers were provided with meal packets and water bottles after they reached the Bareilly railway station.

Also read:Kejriwal, Mamata, migrant crisis whats keeping BJP chief Nadda busy during lockdown

These migrant workers had registered themselves with a Punjab government-run online portal for making the journey. They were notified about their travel via the Ludhiana DMs message Tuesday night.

Once they got down from the train, the workers were screened by eight teams of healthcare staff upon arrival. Sanitation workers also sprayed disinfectants around the platform area after the arrival.

On Wednesday, two migrant workers were sent to healthcare facilities after they showed symptoms. This came a day after three workers were sent for health checkup by the state authorities when they reached Bareilly from Gujarat in a special train, said Satya Veer Singh, the Bareilly station superintendent.

Yesterday, 1,218 workers had arrived here from Gujarat in the special train. They were screened by six teams of healthcare workers. We are following all social distancing norms during the transportation process, said Singh.

In Bareilly, railway officials arranged further transportation of these migrant workers in collaboration with the local police. As many as 43 buses were used to send the workers back to their native places.

Only 35 passengers were allowed on each of these buses, which can otherwise accommodate up to 54, said a bus conductor named Anil.

The workers said they will try to look for conveyance to their villages once the buses reach their destinations.

We have to again see what conveyance we find upon reaching Aonla as our native place is actually in Hardaspur village. If we dont get conveyance, then we will have to walk the distance (around 18 km), said Ram.

Veerpal Singh, a worker in a motorcycle factory in Ludhiana, said he was on his way to Aliganj, a town in Etah district for his daughters wedding. My daughters wedding is to be held on 10 May. If 5-7 people also come, we will get her married off, Singh said.

Also read:Covid spike, 70% hike, long queues but nothing can keep Delhi away from booze

ThePrint is now on Telegram. For the best reports & opinion on politics, governance and more, subscribe to ThePrint on Telegram.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

See the article here:
11 hrs in train without food and water: Migrant workers on reaching Bareilly from Ludhiana - ThePrint

Text Size:A- A+

New Delhi: The BJP in West Bengal has started a survey asking people questions about Mamata Banerjee governments alleged mismanagement of the Covid-19 crisis in the state.

As part of the survey, launched last week, the BJP has posed four questions whether Mamata is hiding information related to the pandemic, are people from certain areas violating the lockdown because of Mamatas appeasement policy, who is responsible for people not getting ration and if people are suffering from the governments low testing capacities.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said they have received 12,000 responses so far.

Questions on migrant crisis and economic emergency will be added to the survey soon, he said.

We have asked people to answer these questions and register protest because we are repeatedly raising questions on the states low testing figures and fudging of Covid-19 numbers. We are not the only one raising questions, even doctors associations have raised questions on the state governments Covid figures. The inter-ministerial central team also questioned the chief ministers handling (of the crisis), Ghosh told ThePrint.

From March to April, the state said it had 200 cases, but in the last ten days, after the Centres intervention, now the dashboard is showing 1,344 cases, Ghosh said.

Mamata is still playing with the health of the poor. We want people to put pressure on Mamata. This is the tip of the iceberg. Every state government is fighting to save lives but Mamata is fighting to save her image and hide numbers, he added.

As of Wednesday, Bengal has 1,047 active Covid-19 cases and 1,456 confirmed cases, with 144 deaths (including those caused by comorbidities), according to the state government bulletin.

West Bengal has the highest mortality rate in the country at 13.2 per cent.

Also read: More testing, daily detailed updates Mamatas Covid strategy sees major turnaround

The issue of ration distribution is a major bone of contention between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP.

The BJP even held demonstrations last Friday in Ranaghat against an alleged attempt to steal a truckload of rice sent by the Centre and pass off the food grain as state relief.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, free rice of 5 kg and pulses of 1 kg every month is to be distributed among the poor, but the opposition and even Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar have alleged a scam in the public distribution system (PDS).

Under Pradhan Mantri Grib Kalyan Ann Yojna FREE RATION is available for THREE MONTHS -5 kg rice per person and 1 kg dal for each household per month. Worrisome distribution reports. Officials need to distance from politics and keep diversion/siphon sharks away, tweeted Dhankhar Wednesday.

The state government has show-caused 359 ration dealers and suspended 64 so far for their alleged involvement in corrupt practices while distributing food grains.

We are raising this issue of malpractices for the last 15 days. Government officials and Trinamool workers siphoned off free ration, which was meant for the poor. We have demanded investigation into this loot of ration, Ghosh told ThePrint.

BJP general secretary and in-charge of West Bengal Kailash Vijayvargiya Tuesday wrote a letter to the chief minister, highlighting discrepancy in the governments Covid-19 bulletins.

The government is coming out with a much detailed bulletin since Monday, but the data it is providing to people still has a lot of discrepancies, he said.

Alipurduar district has been shown to have zero cases but health officials confirm 4 cases. Districts like Murshidabad, North Dinajpur have a high number of Tablighi returnees and migrant labourers but the health bulletin showing zero cases is really surprising, he wrote in the letter.

On Tuesday, the chief minister said that 5.57 crore household visits have been conducted over the last one month and given necessary health advice.

During the period from 7 April to 3 May, over 5.57 crore household visits have been conducted. 872 cases of persons with SARI (severe acute respiratory illness) and 91,515 cases of persons with ILI (influenza-like illness) have been identified and given necessary health advice, she said.

But Vijayvargiya contested the claims, saying: This is another lie by the inefficient chief minister. No one knows about this screening except Mamata Banerjee. She is jeopardising peoples lives. What purpose will she achieve by concealing Covid-19 positive numbers?

State BJP leader Rahul Sinha told ThePrint: Our MPs are in house arrest for months now. They have not been allowed to move out from their house, only TMC workers and their MPs and MLAs have permission to provide relief work in this pandemic. The whole world is fighting Covid but Mamata is fighting with the BJP workers. This is strange.

Also read: Why an angry Mamata Banerjee was forced to do a U-turn on Bengals Covid strategy

ThePrint is now on Telegram. For the best reports & opinion on politics, governance and more, subscribe to ThePrint on Telegram.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

See the original post:
Bengal BJP goes to town over Mamata fudging Covid numbers, PDS scandal, starts survey - ThePrint