The local has been already vocal, it is time for policymakers to listen to their voice.
In the Covid-19 epoch, the entire system was brought to a standstill for sometime and most of us were apprehending about the inevitable losses economies will have to endure in the post-pandemic world order. This malignant outbreak has however revealed the miseries and vulnerabilities of the weakest sections of our country- the Migrant Laborers. About 8 crore laborers and their families, who contribute to 10% of nation’s GDP, were brought on roads ostensibly giving a voice to the plight and helplessness of the poor people in independent India. Although the number of morbidities due to this pandemic can’t be compared to the number of accidental deaths in Bengal during the famine of 1942-43 and during the partition of 1947, but the afflictions of hunger, unemployment, poverty the poorest have been exposed to is nowhere less than those times. If not the spread of pandemic, atleast the excrutiation of our labourers was avoidable. But improper cohesion and cooperation between the centre and state policymakers, lack of coordination among the ministries themselves(such as lack of coordination in the provisions of railways and buses) and sometimes among the government officials shall be withheld responsible for this plight. There was no shortage of foodgrains in the famine of 1942-43 too, but due to inefficiencies and anomalies in distribution, about 30 lakh people died of hunger and malnutrition, as the world-famous study of noble economist Dr. Amartya Sen states. Even efficient and committed administration proved of no use due to political pulls and delayed decisions. This failure can be the greatest lesson for the governments in managing similar national disasters, whether natural and man-made, in future.
Due to the “uncooperative” federalism exhibited and delay in decision making, the migrant laborers lost their patience. Corona infection spread —first through jamatis, then drunkards, and alongwith them through these migrant laborers. Immediate priority should have been given to sending the stranded laborers with their families. This could have prevented crowd gathering. In times of such national calamity, the State Governments should confine themselves to advisory role. If the central government considers their advice proper, it may consider and else not. The state governments and local administration should have the obligation to immediately adhere to the discipline of the Centre. I have been propagating it forcefully since 23rd March. The media has also now started to be vocal on the issue of mutual pullings and bickerings from power centres.
Ministries, particularly central ministries, have to develop a reasonable understanding of ground realities, instead of high emotionalism and a fatalistic and overoptimistic attitude. For instance, if these powerholders had timely understood the compulsions of the laborers, this plight of migrant laborers and ensuing chaos could have been avoided. In the second week of March, many laborers reached big cities from their villages, they could earn hardly for two or four days’ wages, and the lockdown came. The owners withdrew their support as that the businesses were closed, who would bear the burden of electricity, housing etc. for all them? The central government relied more on the state governments and administration. The highflying mentality was far from the ground realities. It is not enough to be aware of the ground realities, it is more a matter of orientation and direction. As a result, the labor families became victims of unexpected misery and were forced to flee. Hunger dominated the corona fear. The understandings and application of technology of the government machinery as well as the civilised society has proved to be hollow and dwarf. Now, this plight has ensued a question in their minds- whether to return back to the industries. It is almost sure that most would not return. This migrant labor class is a major part of the young manpower. They have to be given employment and rehabilitation at the local level.
It is remarkable that the central government under the leadership of Modiji has called for the making the ‘local’ vocal. Self-reliance is the new mantra. In what way should we interpret this message? The local has already been vocal despite enduring all the agonies from politicians and repressions from the police sticks at their behest. There has been a tendency to conceive local voice from the narrow political spectacles. Whether right-wing or left-wing or superficial traditional socialists — all have been suppressing local voices as divisive, orthodox, anti-national, anti-development and anti-science, treacherous; until and unless local voice becomes their political compulsion to accept. Should it now be assumed that local problems will not be neglected under the guise of nationalism, local expectations will not be seen only from a political point of view? However, despite political neglect, a large section of the administrative authorities have been supporting local voices. The state governments will definitely run some schemes for employment and rehabilitation of the returned laborers. Companies and entrepreneurs are being called from outside under ‘Make In India’. Most of the labor laws have been made ineffective in some states for a thousand days. The re-skilling and inventorying of the existing skills of the laborers have been announced. But any area cannot be made self-reliant or developed only by government schemes and the bureaucracy.
Local becomes effectively vocal — it has to be ensured. It is not possible only with government’s help or bailout. Confidence, self-esteem and strength have to be created at the local level. There has been call for the new states of Bhojpuri, Bundelkhand, Vidarbha, Saurashtra, etc., to provide a boost to the neglected and vulnerable sections in order to generate and enhance their confidence, self-esteem and strength. The results of neglect have been— regional imbalances and migration of young manpower for bread and butter.
The reorganization of states in 1956 on the basis of language needs to be repudiated to reconstitute the States in India on lines of socio-culturo-economic basis. As per the ideology of PROUT (Progressive Utilization Theory), India needs to be set up in 44 Samajas and developmental planning has to be at Samaj level. This is the crux of ‘Samaj Andolan’ (social movement). So far, the country has been unfortunate that regional expectations have been seen just from the point of view of politics and vote. When a lot of violence took place, new states of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Telangana were constituted. This mindset of press-or-impress in politics is not good for the system and discipline. Violence should never be let to become a compulsion in a democratic society. Will the Centre change this attitude and be sincere about the self-proclaimed policy of making the local vocal?
The creation of adequate employment opportunities at the local level will not be possible overnight. It is also not pragmatic to rely on the commitments of Foreign Companies and Financial Institutional Investors (FIIs) who are adept at fleeing from the falling market. Initially, the high supply of workers in the local market may weaken their bargaining position, the wage rates may also fall. The neutralization of labor laws may increase the tendency of their exploitation despite the raise of minimum wages from Rs.182 to 202 rupees as the wage rate has been significantly higher so far. It has to be resolved expeditiously. Decentralized planning has to be adopted at village and block levels. Inclusion of these people in the operation of units through coordinated cooperatives in construction, industrial production, processing and marketing of agricultural produce, dairying, services etc. is one significant way. The central government has announced a plethora of schemes for small businesses and farmers. These can be taken advantage of properly through coordinated cooperatives. Governments should also announce a scheme for promotion of and also for giving priority to coordinated cooperatives and self help groups in support and lending.
(Writer is a Senior Professor in
Department of Commerce, DDU Gorakhpur University and an expert commentator on socio-economic issues)