Digitized Platform For Migrant Workers Likely To Be Launched Next Week

New Delhi: The Central government is likely to launch a digitized platform for the benefit of migrant workers by next week.

The Supreme Court, while hearing a case on the plight of workers in the unorganized sector on June 29, had set a deadline of July 31, 2021 to “prepare a mechanism” for registration of such workers.

Through this platform, authorities will be able to direct state-run benefits to them and intervene during crises, reported Hindustan Times.

Thousands of migrant workers left from different states after a national lockdown was announced last year to control the spread of coronavirus. Out of work and with no money or food, many of these labourers headed for their native towns/villages by walking down highways.

The then Union Labour minister Santosh Gangwar told Parliament last September that there was no data on how many migrant workers left cities or how many died.

The new portal, a joint venture between the Labour & Employment ministry and common service-centres (CSC) run by Electronics & Information Technology ministry, will address this drawback as well.

Once migrant workers register themselves on this portal, they will get a unique ID similar to the biometric Aadhaar. They can then go to their nearest CSC, irrespective of where they are staying, to avail of any government digital service.

There are nearly 400,000 CSCs in the country.