Regional imbalance

Regional imbalance

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has made us realized how small and insignificant we are in front of Mother Nature. Currently we are facing the wrath of nature for moving further and further away from it and not pampering and taking proper care of it. During this hour of crisis, it is painful to witness the plight of millions of restless migrant workers trapped in lockdown without money and jobs. These workers desperately want to reach to their hometowns and villages so that they could be with their families. There are more than 40 million migrant workers across the country. Though migration of workers from the villages to cities is a pan-India phenomenon, it has been observed that the exodus of workers from a few States of India is overwhelmingly higher than other states and regions. For ages, India is facing the problem of acute regional imbalances and the indicators of such disparities are reflected by the per capita income. These poor indicators compel the workers to migrate to cities in search of better employment opportunities. Mostly, these migrant workers get engaged in the cities as domestic helpers, drivers and gardeners, or as daily-wagers on construction sites or as street vendors. It has been seen that these workers lives a hand to mouth existence by doing such menial jobs and only few of them earns a living wage. A living wage is such wage which enables the worker to provide himself and his family not merely the basic essentials of Roti, Kapda aur Makaan but a measure of frugal comfort including education for the children, protection against ill-health and essential social needs. Due to humongous influx of workers in the cities, there arises a situation of too many labour forces in the cities, which leaves many of them unemployed. This decreases the bargaining power of the workers. The inundation of too many workers in the cities also puts pressure on the carrying capacity of it. It is high time the State Government took measures to correct the regional imbalance so that so many workers from suburbans and villages do not have to migrate to far flung cities of India to earn a mere subsistence level of income. The ‘disguised unemployment’ prevailing in the agriculture sector can be absorbed by increasing the wage employment under MNREGA ACT, 2005. The State Governments can provide subsidies and tax exemptions to industries for setting up industries in backward regions. These industries can generate employment opportunities for the workers in their own regions. Imparting vocational training will also help the workers to develop skills which can help them in engaging in self employment. There are many other initiatives that the State Governments can employ for the welfare of its citizens by providing them job opportunities in their own States and regions.

Saurav Goyal,

Guwahati

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