Migrant workers and their family members waiting to leave for their villages outside Allahabad bus station in the wake of a nationwide lockdown . If official social security, for instance, access to rations and PDS is made truly universal, you would see less of this instant-flight behaviour. And above all, a clear message while announcing the lockdown, that all concerns of migrant workers would be addressed by provision of food, water and shelter in the cities. This is a good time to conceive a new approach to providing social security to migrant workers. There is a serious public health issue faced by migrant workers which has little to do with COVID-19.

Source: Indian Express March 29, 2020 18:50 UTC