5 Ways the Government Can Help Daily-Wage Workers During Lockdown

Yogendra Yadav

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj

Coronavirus is a strange disease that started with the rich, who go abroad, socialise with people living there, but now the poor are bearing the brunt of it.

Today’s focus on Chalti Rahe Zindagi is daily-wage labourers.

A Bengaluru trade union, AICCTU, released a report where they talk about the situation of daily-wage labourers in the city.

More than 5 lakh people work in the garment industry in Bengaluru, 2 lakh people drive autos, 1.5 lakh people drive taxis. There are 4 lakh domestic workers. Apart from this, those who work in the construction industry.

The report, released on 22 March, states the income of 70 percent of the people has been affected because of the lockdown.

Today, people are out of jobs, they are not getting paid, earnings have reduced and expenses have increased. Moreover, 30 percent of them do not have ration cards.

On 24 March, Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar has asked all the state governments to give money to labourers from the construction funds. Here are five more suggestions that can be adopted:

1. EMERGENCY TRAINS OR BUSES
2. BAN ON RETRENCHMENT
3. NO TENANTS SHOULD BE ASKED TO MOVE OUT
4. SUSPENSION OF ELECTRICITY, WATER BILLS
5. MINIMUM FOOD SUPPLY TO EVERY LABOURER