Migrants Case- "Atmanirbhar Bharat Scheme Be Resumed, One Nation One Ration Be Implemented" Intervenors Submits Before Supreme Court States

While highlighting the 'financial ruin' faced by migrant workers in wake of the pandemic, two Civil Society Organisations have moved the Supreme Court to suggest measures for food security and registration of migrant workers, that can be undertaken by Central and State Governments to help alleviate their issues.

The applicants have proposed that the Atmanirbhar Bharat Scheme should be resumed for distribution of food grains free of cost to migrant workers without ration cards till December 2021, and free food grains should be provided to State Governments instead of requiring them to purchase grains through the OMSS from the Food Corporation of India.

The applicants have also suggested that the One Nation One Ration Card Scheme should be implemented so that the 11 States and 8 Union territories who are yet to implement it, do so forthwith.

The suggestions have been made through a written submission made in the suo moto case for migrant workers before the Supreme Court, by Sarva Hara Jan Andolan and Angmehnati Kashtakari Sangharsh Samiti.

According to the applicants, Community kitchens should be encouraged across all States with food grains and cooking supplies be provided free of cost by the Central Government to State Governments, for distribution to community kitchens run by NGOs and charitable organisations or by Municipal Corporations.

The applicants have stated that the procedure for distribution of food grains should be transparent and schemes should be widely publicised by State Governments as per modalities that will work efficiently in each State.

According to the applicants, no criteria should be stipulated to exclude migrants on the ground that they are not "stranded", and the food security measures should be extended to all migrant workers currently working or residing in States they are not domiciled in due to the precariousness of their living conditions.

While highlighting the plight of the migrant workers who fall in the category of "unorganised workers" and are unprotected from the extreme financial strain caused due to Covid, the applicants have proposed that Workers Facilitation Centres should be constituted under Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act, 2008 at the block level throughout all States, or where unorganised workers are largely concentrated.

According to the applicants, at these Workers Facilitation Centres, the migrant workers can be made aware of the schemes available to assist them, and can be offered legal assistance along with offline registration of workers under the welfare Acts.

The present application filed by Advocate Nupur Kumar and settled by Senior Advocates Anand Grover and Gayatri Singh, has also stated that the registration conducted at such Workers Facilitation Centres should also result in registration for Covid vaccination and supply of covid vaccines on-site at such centres.

Click Here To Download/Read Written Submission