West Bengal to Launch Outreach Programs for Migrant Workers in 5 States

In order to increase the number of migrant laborers from Bengal who register on the Karmasathi portal—which was established as part of an initiative to provide a better deal to people leaving Bengal in search of livelihood—the Mamata Banerjee government has decided to launch massive outreach programs in states like Kerala, Maharastra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Karnataka.

A source stated that the Nabanna top brass discovered that only approximately 34% of the estimated migrant laborers had registered their identities on the portal through the recent Duare Sarkar camps, which prompted an attempt to contact the migrant workers.

40,00,858 migrant laborers were registered in the chief minister's office, according to sources in Nabanna, as having returned to Bengal during the statewide lockdown following the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020.

While the remainder had returned on their own, the state brought back the majority of the workers.

However, through the Duare Sarkar camps, which took place from September 1 to 30, the names of just 13.60 lakh migrant laborers were enrolled on the Karmasathi platform. Outreach programs will therefore be held in the states where the majority of migrant laborers reside. A top government official from Bengal remarked, "The program details will be finalized soon."

Only 2,26,763 employees of the southern state have registered their names on the platform, despite the fact that data show that 9,03,611 workers were transported back from Kerala during the lockdown. Similar to Maharashtra, where 7,17,594 laborers were transported back to Bengal from the western state during the pandemic, just 2,24,607 workers have registered their information on the web.

In Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Karnataka, the situation is much the same. Despite the fact that 6,12,477 migrant laborers returned from Tamil Nadu in 2020, only 1,40,085 of them had registered.

4,69,069 and 2,74,568 migrant workers, respectively, from Gujarat and Karnataka returned to Bengal during the lockdown.

But just 59,218 and 96,082 migrant workers, respectively, are officially registered in Gujarat and Karnataka.

According to a source, there were discussions inside the administration about establishing assistance desks in states where foreign workers are employed to assist them in registering with the portal.

Given that the government is taking steps to provide migrant workers in Bengal with jobs, the overall number of migrant workers may rise or fall. A few people left the state at the same time to look for work. Whatever the circumstances, it is evident that a large number of migrants failed to register their names on the portal," an official stated.

After the migrant laborers registered their names, the Mamata Banerjee dispensation also intended to set them up with work in Bengal. In an attempt to hire workers from the state, the administration is attempting to get in contact with a number of Bengali businesses. The Karmasathi portal will list all of the workers who are available, and the companies can select the people they need.

According to a source, outreach initiatives are designed to collect the names of all migrants since "the success of such an effort depends on the registration of the migrant laborers on the Karmasathi portal."

In an attempt to provide the migrant workers jobs in the state and to enhance their earning potential, the administration took the initiative to register them on the Karmasathi site and start a skill development program.

However, migrant laborers employed in areas such as Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Maharastra were found to have minimal interest in registering on the web.

In order to influence the political parties' electoral outcomes in districts such as North and South Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Birbhum, and North and South 24 Parganas, the ruling elite in Bengal must make a concerted effort to engage with the migrant workers prior to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The sources stated that the ruling elite has tried to make contact with the migrant laborers since it believed the BJP had performed better in the areas of north Bengal, from which the majority of migrant workers migrate to other states, and the ruling party had failed to win their support.

Additionally, the circumstances this time do not favor the ruling party. During the epidemic, when they returned to the state, the government attempted to provide them with jobs under the 100-day job program. However, they returned to their jobs as soon as the lockdown was lifted. This indicates that they were not afforded enough opportunities in the state. According to a source, this still poses a threat to the ruling party.