The lockdown months had exposed the shocking fact that the migrant workforce is almost invisible in official data. This absence also meant that they could not access even the minimal social protection programmes offered by the state. A hugely diverse and disaggregated workforce, they lacked agency and thereby any power to bargain collectively. Besides, being footloose, political parties do not always recognise or respect them as a political constituency and respond to their concerns. The draft has suggested that political inclusion could be key to bridging the gaps in their access to health services, basic entitlements, food security, education and so on. The proposed administrative measures and corrections, such as inter-state migration management bodies involving labour departments of both source and destination states and inter-sectoral convergence to break down ministerial silos, could help to create an institutional framework for timely and targeted response in crises. The government has taken steps to ensure portability of welfare schemes, especially access to the public distribution system, beyond state borders. More needs to be done on that front.

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