Returned migrants may open a Pandora's box for Telangana

Hyderabad: The State is virtually sitting on the ticking time bomb of migrant labourers returning to native villages which may explode anytime with the continued lockdown.

Further extension of lockdown and no hopes of returning to their old works may lead to unrest among the returned migrant workers and they may resort to agitations demanding employment in the State.

Most of the migrant workers are not ready to go back to old jobs due to the problems they have faced during the lockdown. At the same time the fate of their present jobs would be known only after the lockdown is lifted all over the world and economy is put on the track again.

The migrant labourers are of the view that they should be provided with employment in their native places. They want to live in their own districts even if they get meagre income.

According to estimates, Telangana has about 40 lakh semi-skilled migrants working in other parts of the country and world. This includes about 12 lakh expatriates in Gulf countries.

They began reaching homes in the second week of the month with the permissions given by the Centre. About 2.5 lakh have returned to their native places in this month and the number may grow further.

Most of the semi-skilled expatriates earn a monthly income of about Rs 20,000 to 30,000 but they have been suffering loss of income due to lockdown in the country as well as in the world.

Drivers, plumbers, masons, carpenters, factory workers, hotel suppliers and other semi-skilled workers form part of those returning to the State. They could not get any employment in the rural areas immediately. The State already has 12 per cent unemployment and if the number of the returned migrants is added to it the percentage would rise two to three times more. This would put a lot of burden on the State's economy. In rural areas the employment sources are limited and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is the only programme that would provide immediate jobs.

However, the income through the programme is low and the semi-skilled workers may not be able to meet their expenses with the earnings from the scheme. So, they need a better employment in the rural areas.

The State government may have to take up steps to create employment for them in their respective Mandals or district headquarters. It may have to give incentives to the industrialists to begin industrial and business activities in the rural areas.