Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the whole world came to a standstill and the different Governments put in their efforts to address this pandemic. In India, one of the section which was severely hit during the COVID-19 lockdown period and in the subsequent months was the migrant workers. To understand the grim situations of migrant workers and to come up with need-based interventions, Caritas India conducted three action research studies during the lockdown period. Taking forward the recommendations of these studies, Caritas India developed a program called PRAVASI BANDHU to assist, support and protect internal migrant workers in Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Rajasthan. The main focus is to create awareness among the potential migrant workers, skill-building, linking them with employment opportunities, ensure identity card, registration, creating a database for rights and entitlements, financial inclusion, skill enhancement of women migrant workers at the destination, education of children of migrant workers, policy engagement and networking at state and national level. The services will be provided through the help desk at the source states and Migrant Resource Centres at the destination.

Caritas India’s Strategic Actions for migrant workers are:

1. Creating safe corridors for the migrant workers, connecting source and destination
2. Capacitating migrant workers to make informed choices
3. Skill building and promotion of on-farm and off-farm Livelihood programs for migrant returnees
4. Social and cultural integration of migrant workers in their destination States/communities
5. Developing database of migrant workers
6. Collectivization and association of migrant workers
7. Promoting rights and entitlements
8. Pastoral care to the migrant workers at the destination
9. Partnership building, Networking and lesioning with likeminded CSO networks and government
10. Dialogue with govt to build migrant-friendly policies at national and state level
11. Research and studies

Caritas India organized a two days virtual inaugural orientation workshop of the Pravasi Bandhu programme on April 8-9, 2021. During the Orientation, Fr. Paul Moonjely, Executive Director of Caritas India officially launched the Pravasi Bandhu program.

Fr. Paul Moonjely, Executive Director of Caritas India in his opening address emphasised building a larger framework of the issue in this given context of the second wave of Corona, providing face to the faceless peoples (providing Identities) enabling a more dignified standard of living, creating better avenues to address the issues Migrants workers. The same was delivered in Hindi for better outreach and Understanding for our Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) staffs.

Mr. Subhash Bhatnagar From NIRMAAN gave a contemporary outline and scenario of Migrant workers in India highlighting the changes in wage code and its unsatisfactory responses in addressing the issues of Migrant workers.

Ms. Leeza, Thematic Lead Anti Human Trafficking and Migration brought out the detailed project context, its frame work and expected outcomes. She explained the expectations while working with migrant workers, its objectives, how to go about it in achieving and what would be expected outcome in clear nut cell. Mr. Ghanshyam, Head of Programs shared about the importance of Reporting, Monitoring, Evaluation and Documentation in the very simplest form to make partners realize its importance for the organization.

Day 2 began with orientation on Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) and its rationale behind establishment to enable migrant’s population to make informed choices through the right information. MRC serves as a one-stop-shop, delivering labour-friendly services that address migrant vulnerabilities. Services include providing linkages to government entitlements and schemes, legal assistance in wage and worksite issues and accident-related cases, along with employment opportunities, banking services, sharing information and creating awareness.

Mr. Deepak George, the Program Associate of Caritas India shared his experiences working with Migrant workers and spoke about some of the entitlements which could be availed by migrant workers.

“It is not a relief program but a long term program expected to bring larger outcome in its tenure,” shared Fr. Paul Moonjely in his concluding remarks. He expressed during this changing time there is an extra added responsibility on each one of us in the delivery of the programme and management of finances.