The International Migrants Day observance by the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) union here on Monday proved to be a platform for discussing the migrant labourers and their many issues.
The refrain that women and children are the most exploited in the unorganised sector of migrant labourers was echoed by every speaker at the function.
Minister for Labour T.P. Ramakrishnan while inaugurating the function highlighted the many schemes available for migrant workers in the State.
The Minister said that the previous LDF government’s Kerala Migrant Workers’ Welfare Programme was still in practice. Migrant workers can enrol by paying ₹30 per year.
An insurance scheme for migrant workers called ‘Awaz’ had been launched, under which accidental death coverage of ₹2 lakh was provided.
There was no fee for registration and the workers on registration would be given a chip-enabled identity card, the minister said.
Housing scheme
A housing scheme called ‘Apna Ghar’ for housing migrant labourers was also going on, he added.
SEWA union secretary Sonia George called for a comprehensive policy for migrant labourers, especially women domestic workers.
Child Rights Commission chairperson Sobha Koshy threw light on a different aspect of migration when she spoke about the state of children whose parents were migrant workers.
District panchayat president V.K. Madhu, Sriram Venkitaraman, Managing Director of the Overseas Development and Employment Promotion Consultants (ODEPC) among others, spoke at the function.
