In the past few months, the number of migrant returnees to their hometowns became the swelling reality which posed a critical pressure on rural lives and livelihood.

State Government’s has announced various packages for the migrant workers in term of livelihood and sustenance. In Bihar, the Government issued ordered to draw up a plan to cater the migrant returnee with jobs. A massive data collection drive was undertaken to collect information of the returnees to record their skill and proficiency.

In rural areas, agriculture and MGNREGA are the two employment avenues of income for many people. In May, the government had announced an additional ₹40,000 crore as budgetary support to MGNREGA after allocating ₹61,500 crores in the budget in February. The additional funds were to ensure money to pay wages, anticipating a spike in demand in rural jobs after millions of workers employed in cities went home during the lockdown.

MGNREGA scheme guarantees 100 days of employment in a financial year to adult members of rural households who have applied for employment. If employment is not given within 15 days of the demand for work, the Central government is liable to pay an unemployment allowance.

Work under the scheme, which had come to a pause during March and April, resumed in the second half of April and has since been a major source of livelihood in rural areas.

“MGNREGA helped me in solving the basic problem of survival of my family,” said Muninder Ram who lives with his wife and children in Tulaha Village of Bihar. “I have received a job under MGNREGA for 15 days and earned Rs.  3450.”

Muninder is a marginalized farmer and a seasonal migrant to work in others field in the village as wage labour. In the month of November, he migrated to Delhi for work as labour (poldar). Everything was going well and time to time he used to send money for his family. In the month of March, Government had announced Lockdown and due to Covid-19, his work was closed. He was jobless and facing food scarcity but in May he exhausted all his money to meet his daily food. Back home, the family also faced a food problem. It was difficult for him to arrange room rent in Delhi which forced him to return.

He took a loan of Rs. 2500 from his friend and return to Bihar. After reaching Bettiah, he was shifted to Ramnagar Block by bus and kept for 14 days in Primary school, Taulaha quarantine Centre.

After completing quarantine, reached his home.

Being a Farmers club member of Caritas India Saksham program, he asked committee members of Saksham to help him in getting work. Members along with project coordinators prepared the list of returning migrants and submitted the same to Panchyat for job card and ration card. With the continuous follow-up and effort from the committee and Muninder itself, he received the ration card and MGNREGA Job card.

Caritas India through her Saksham program is doing the skill mapping of the migrant returnees to support them with their livelihood. The programme has planned to provide support in poultry, goat rearing, and providing types of equipment to masons and farmers to sustain their livelihood. The plan is to support 300 families under the Saksham program.

Muninder narrates his story as to how the committee members approached him and informed that they are calling all the members of all the groups in this lockdown and asking about their condition and survival during COVID-19. “They also asked me about the problems. I explained to them about the condition of the family”. After listening to my problems, they helped me to meet the head of the Panchayat, as there are many schemes being run by the government for the migrants. Then we met the Mukhiya and requested for help which helped me to access my right.

“Now, I have Ration card (PDS) and Job card”, says Muninder.