Migrant Labour Support Programme

MLSP Out-migration is a common phenomenon among communities in the rural areas of WIRFP. The people migrate to urban areas, like Kota, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, etc., for wage income during the lean earning periods. GVT has taken up the MLSP programme to facilitate and support these migrants to reduce their suffering during migration and improve their livelihoods.

The MLSP is being implemented on the basis of different set out objectives covering establishment of Palayan Seva Kendras (PSKs) in rural and urban areas for providing services to migrants, facilitation for accessing basic entitlements, enhancement of migrant capacities and skills, recommendation for migrant labour policy reform etc. A Hub has been established at Delhi for effective networking amongst the organisations working for the cause of migrant workers. The Hub is providing information on migrant workers. The web site of the Hub is: htpp://www.migrationindia.org

Some are questions are :

Why MLSP

  • Why MLSP

  • Migration is one of the most important components of the livelihoods of tribals in the project area.
  • This brings 80% of the total households cash income.
  • Migrants have their own very genuine problems and issues related to migration which contributed to make the migration more difficult and brings hardships, and long term implications in the lives of people. However, migration is disliked by most of the migrants, this fact has been recognized since long but there has been a very limited efforts put in collectively by NGOs/ Govt.
  • The project has now over 10 years experience of working with resource poor tribal communities.
  • This has facilitated close understanding of the communities and has related the effects of out migration on their livelihoods
  • In order to minimize the ill-effect of such out-migration, the concept of a “Migrant Labour Support Program” (MLSP) was mooted.
  • An innovative MLSP became operational since April, 2002.

Why Migration

Why Migration

  • 80% of the income is generated from migration in a tribal family.
  • 65% of the population earn their livelihood of labouring when they go on migration
  • In a tribal family 4 to 5 members migrate for four to five months.
  • 42% are women in migrant family.
  • Some times earnings from migration become main source of livelihood for poor
  • Women are the worst sufferers during migration; the major problem they face is for fuel wood , drinking water and availability of toilets.
  • Women are paid less wages than a male

 

GVT 's Focus

GVT 's Focus

  • Over a period of decades migration is playing key role in tribal lives.
  • As per our experience we found that employment opportunities attracts migrants for additional source of income but project is focusing those who are vulnerable and do not have any other options for livelihood.
  • These categories of migrants can be defined as survival migrants.
  • Some of the migrants of this category are in the vicious cycle of debt.
  • Project is also trying to cover left behind old age people those who always remain in the village and suffer the most .
  • Mainly GVT’s concern is rural to urban migration from tribal area of Jhabua, Dhar, Ratlam and Panchmahal to big cities of Gujarat Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat , Indore & Kota.

 

Issues and Concerns

Issues and Concerns

  • To earn the livelihood for their family, these migrants face problems at each step, no sooner they leave their home and society.
  • They face atrocities and exploitation while traveling either by bus or train. Even after paying full ticket charge, they have to travel on roof of the bus, train and jeep with their family including women and children, by putting their life in danger.
  • The exploitation of the migrants and misbehavior with them by various authorities start from their home town itself.
    The main problems are :
  • Main problem

Objectives

Objectives

During the planning phase for this innovative programme, the project officials had intensive discussion with migrant communities at villages , Nakas. They also had a series of meetings with senior Govt./non Govt. officials builders and contractors, social leaders international consultants and our own team members.

After going through the pros and cons of the life of migrants GVT has developed an effective strategy to support this people. The main objectives of the programme are as follows:

Objectives

 

GVT's Interventions

GVT's Interventions

1. Established Rural and Urban centers
  • In view of various problems of migrant labourers the project introduced two types of centres,Palayan Suchna Kendra (PSK) in home areas and Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) at destination cities.
  • These centers are linked to each other. Networking, information sharing and facilitating migration are the main function of these centers.
  • Establishing links with different government, non-government and other formal and informal sectors are other activities of the PSK's and MRC's.
  • 15 PSK's in Remote area and 3 MRC's in Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Ratlam has been established.

2. Networking and linkages
  • GVT works closely with district administration, panchayati raj institutions, self –help groups and line departments.
  • It networks with these organizations to discuss the problems migrants face and to identify and advocate for changes in laws and in government and other policies and programme.

3. Collaboration with partners
  • Project strongly feels that to address the migration issues is a challenging task and a combination of interventions from different area and from different stake holders GO-NGO are essential for effective implementation of the programme.
  • To develop a vision of unionization, settlement of wages disputes through mutual negotiation and awareness generation.
  • Project has signed and MOU with Development Initiative for Social and Human Action DISHA Ahmedabad, which is a trade union of migrant labourers and having experience of 10 12 years for such activities.
  • Similarly Multiple Action Research Group MARG New Delhi a right based organization is facilitating legal literacy programme for project migrants.

4. Campaigning for skill upgradation
  • One of the important aims of MLSP is to increase returns during migration.
  • GVT has identified Construction Industries Development Council CIDC, established and promoted by planning commission and construction industry, a suitable partner for skill upgradation of migrant labourers under the GVT-CIDC collaboration programme 38 trades has been identified for skill upgradation and certification as well.
  • The programme has already started and 191 migrant labourers of Ratlam project area have appeared for competency test of masionary work

5. Experience sharing workshops
  • MLSP issues have been addressed in various forums through experience sharing workshops.
  • DFID, India. WORLP, Bolangir. ODI, Hyderabad. MANAGE, Hyderabad.
  • Senior govt. official Jaipur (Rajasthan). M.P. Administration Academy, Bhopal.
    MPRLP, Bhopal.

6. Other benefit to migrants
  • Registration of migrants and issue of ; Identity cards:- Presently there is no formal system of registering the migrant labourers. Project started registration of migrants through PSK's at source points and providing them with Identity card issued by Gram Panchayats to avoid harassment by police etc.So far more than 21000 Identity cards have been issued and 7000 migrants have been registered through PSKs
  • Insurance schemes for social securities: - In order to provide social security in case of accidents, death or partial disability.
  • GVT is promoting Janshree Insurance Policy and other accidental group policies.
  • 1474 migrants have been covered under these policies.
  • Communication facility:-During the interaction with migrant community we found communication a major issue. All the 15 PSK's and 3 MRC's has been equipped with telephone facility for receiving and conveying the messages of migrants from long destinations to their family members of remotearea.
  • 1529 Incoming and 1837outgoing calls have been made through PSK's.
  • Receiving complaints of less payments/nonpayment: PSK's and MRC's are receiving the complaints of less payments or nonpayment of wages from migrants of project area and forwarding the same to DISHA or Govt. Labour Deptt. For further action.

 

Challenges

Challenges

Challanges

Linkage

Linkage

Linkages

Way Forward

Way Forward

Way

Palayan Suchna Kendra

Palayan Suchna Kendra

 

PSK

Migration Resource Centre

Migration Resource Centre (MRC)

MRC