{"id":2238,"date":"2025-01-16T15:59:20","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T10:29:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=2238"},"modified":"2026-02-06T17:05:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T11:35:15","slug":"daily-newspaper-editorial-analysis-6-january-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/daily-newspaper-editorial-analysis-6-january-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Daily Newspaper Editorial Analysis 6 January 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Launched in May 2021 in response to the Supreme Court&#8217;s directive, the portal aimed to address the distressing plight of migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic by creating a unified national database.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The\u00a0<strong>Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoL&amp;E) in India recently declared the e-Shram portal as the largest database of unorganised workers<\/strong>\u00a0globally, with over 300 million workers registered.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Launched in May 2021<\/strong>\u00a0in response to the Supreme Court&#8217;s directive,\u00a0<strong>the portal aimed to address the distressing plight of migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic<\/strong>\u00a0by creating a unified national database.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Despite this ambitious initiative, challenges in its implementation and gaps in its utility highlight the pressing need for more robust measures<\/strong>\u00a0to ensure social protection and inclusion for India&#8217;s vulnerable unorganised workforce.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Historical Context and the Need for a Database<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The concept of maintaining a database for migrant and unorganised workers is not new.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The Interstate Migrant Workmen Act (1979) mandated contractors to provide detailed worker records,<\/strong>\u00a0and the National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (2007) called for universal worker registration.<\/li>\n<li>Similarly,\u00a0<strong>the Unorganised Workers\u2019 Social Security Act (2008) proposed identity cards for workers.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>However,\u00a0<strong>these efforts failed to gain traction<\/strong>, leaving millions of workers invisible to policymakers and the public.<\/li>\n<li><strong>This historical neglect underscores the significance of the e-Shram porta<\/strong>l as a potentially transformative initiative.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Understanding the Vulnerability of Migrant Workers<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Socio-Economic Exclusion<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The lack of stable employment ties leaves migrant workers in a precarious situation.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Many are employed informally<\/strong>\u00a0in sectors such as construction, agriculture, domestic work, and small-scale industries, where job security is almost non-existent.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Without formal contracts, they have little to no bargaining power<\/strong>\u00a0and are frequently subjected to exploitative working conditions, including low wages, long hours, and unsafe environments.<\/li>\n<li>The\u00a0<strong>absence of unionisation further worsens their vulnerability,<\/strong>\u00a0as they are unable to collectively advocate for better terms or working conditions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Challenges of Disenfranchisement<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Due to the transient nature of their employment,\u00a0<strong>migrant workers often lack access to fundamental rights like voting.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Many are unable to register as voters in their place of work<\/strong>, and their names are often missing from electoral rolls in their home states.<\/li>\n<li>This\u00a0<strong>disenfranchisement not only alienates them politically but also deprives them of a voice in decisions<\/strong>\u00a0that directly impact their lives, reinforcing their marginalisation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Poor Access to Social Services<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Access to essential services<\/strong>\u00a0such as healthcare, education, housing, and social security\u00a0<strong>is severely limited for migrant workers.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The\u00a0<strong>lack of portability of welfare benefits across states means that they often cannot avail themselves of government schemes<\/strong>\u00a0in their place of work.<\/li>\n<li>For instance,\u00a0<strong>migrant families may lose access to ration cards<\/strong>\u00a0or healthcare benefits when they move to a new location.<\/li>\n<li>Similarly,\u00a0<strong>their children are at risk of losing continuity in education due to frequent relocations,<\/strong>\u00a0perpetuating the cycle of poverty and vulnerability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Stigma and Discrimination<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Migrant workers frequently face stigma and discrimination<\/strong>\u00a0in host communities.<\/li>\n<li>They are\u00a0<strong>often viewed as outsiders and treated with suspicion<\/strong>, which leads to social exclusion and sometimes even hostility.<\/li>\n<li><strong>This discrimination can limit their opportunities\u00a0<\/strong>to integrate into local communities and access resources, further isolating them.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Women migrants are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and harassment<\/strong>, both at work and in their living conditions, compounding their struggles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Persistent Challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Documentation and Eligibility Exclusion<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>A significant challenge\u00a0<strong>lies in the exclusion of workers due to inadequate documentation.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Many migrant workers lack essential identification documents<\/strong>\u00a0such as Aadhaar cards, ration cards, or voter IDs, which are often prerequisites for registration.<\/li>\n<li>Additionally,\u00a0<strong>issues such as unlinked mobile numbers, lack of permanent phone access, or inconsistent address details complicates their ineligibility.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>For workers who are constantly on the move or live in temporary housing,\u00a0<strong>these documentation requirements become insurmountable hurdles,\u00a0<\/strong>effectively locking them out of social protection mechanisms<strong>.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Technological Barriers<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Although the e-Shram portal aims to simplify access through technology,<\/strong>\u00a0digital illiteracy among unorganised workers poses a significant barrier.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Many workers, especially those in rural areas, are unfamiliar with online processes<\/strong>\u00a0or lack access to smartphones and reliable internet connectivity.<\/li>\n<li>This\u00a0<strong>digital divide disproportionately affects women workers<\/strong>, who often have limited access to personal mobile devices.<\/li>\n<li><strong>As a result, many workers are unable to navigate the registration process independently,<\/strong>\u00a0relying on intermediaries who may exploit them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Limited Portability of Benefits<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The\u00a0<strong>mobility of migrant workers creates a unique challenge in ensuring access to welfare benefits<\/strong>\u00a0across states.<\/li>\n<li>While initiatives like the\u00a0<strong>One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC)\u00a0<\/strong>attempt to address this issue,\u00a0<strong>many schemes remain tied to a worker\u2019s place of origin.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>This\u00a0<strong>lack of portability leaves inter-state migrants unable to access entitlements<\/strong>\u00a0such as subsidised food, housing, or healthcare in their destination states.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Without seamless integration of welfare schemes across jurisdictions, a large segment of the migrant workforce remains excluded<\/strong>\u00a0from critical support systems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fragmentation of Social Security Systems<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>India\u2019s social security landscape is highly fragmented<\/strong>, with multiple schemes operating under different ministries and departments.<\/li>\n<li>While the\u00a0<strong>OSS attempts to integrate these schemes, the process is far from complete.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Key welfare programs like PM Matru Vandana Yojana and Shramik Suraksha Yojana are yet to be linked with the e-Shram portal<\/strong>, leaving gaps in coverage.<\/li>\n<li>Additionally,\u00a0<strong>overlapping responsibilities and bureaucratic inefficiencies slow down the implementation of a cohesive framework.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>The Path Ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>To fully realise its potential,\u00a0<strong>the e-Shram portal must transcend its role as a mere registration platform and evolve into a comprehensive tool<\/strong>\u00a0for empowering workers.<\/li>\n<li>This\u00a0<strong>requires disaggregating migration data, enhancing portability of benefits, and integrating human development outcomes<\/strong>\u00a0into program design.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Non-profits and policymakers advocate viewing migrants as assets rather than burden<\/strong>s, emphasising their critical role in driving economic growth.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The 2030 Agenda<\/strong>\u00a0for Sustainable Development warns\u00a0<strong>that poorly managed migration can impede progress.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Migrants and unorganised workers are indispensable to India&#8217;s economy,<\/strong>\u00a0yet they continue to await recognition and rights.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The e-Shram portal and OSS are commendable steps, but achieving &#8220;Viksit Bharat&#8221; (Developed India) demands well-designed social protection systems<\/strong>\u00a0that prioritise inclusion and equity for this workforce.<\/li>\n<li>While the e-Shram portal has laid the foundation for addressing long-standing challenges faced by unorganised workers,\u00a0<strong>its success depends on overcoming systemic barriers and integrating inclusive, sustainable policies.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/opinion\/columns\/building-a-system-that-sees-the-migrant-worker-9761563\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Indian Express<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Launched in May 2021 in response to the Supreme Court&#8217;s directive, the portal aimed to address the distressing plight of migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic by creating a unified national database.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":86401,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[138],"tags":[141,142,145],"class_list":{"0":"post-2238","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-daily-editorial-analysis","8":"tag-daily-editorial-analysis","9":"tag-daily-newspaper-editorial-analysis","10":"tag-daily-newspaper-editorial-analysis-6-january-2025","11":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2238"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2238\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86408,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2238\/revisions\/86408"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86401"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}