The Covid-19 pandemic and consequent lockdowns signal a double crisis — of public health as well as joblessness and hunger — for Jharkhand, activists warned on Saturday.
The Right to Food Campaign (Jharkhand) pointed out that migrant workers were returning en masse from different states, including those such as Maharashtra with several novel coronavirus cases, food vendors were losing business, and more occupations were likely to be hit as economic activities shut down.
The Campaign, which includes economist Jean Drèze, said only swift government action would help people, and suggested a slew of steps to avert the crises.
They recommended that the Jharkhand government immediately pay in advance at least three months’ pension to widows and the aged, who were the most vulnerable, and increase the coverage of social security pensions by fast-tracking pending applications.
The activists hoped the government would continue midday meals in schools and anganwadis, and add eggs to the menu.
They recommended enhancing or doubling public distribution system (PDS) ration on a temporary basis and distribution of ration in the old offline mode.
“The decision to suspend biometric authentication in the PDS is helpful. But instead of switching all electronic Point-of-Sale (ePoS) machines to offline mode, the government is imposing the OTP system,” the Campaign said in a release. “This system is unreliable (e.g. due to poor connectivity) and prone to abuse. Instead of the OTP system, the government should immediately switch all ePoS machines to offline mode.”
Emergency action must be taken against corrupt PDS dealers and functionaries who may take advantage of the confusion to siphon off people’s rations, they said.
They also suggested rural job guarantee wages be raised from Rs 171 to Rs 275 a day, jobless allowance be paid to SC/ST job card holders, and weekly income support for workers who are migrants back home or from the informal sector.
The activists hoped that the state government would take the initiative and take the Centre’s help when needed. They pointed out that some states, including Kerala, have already taken similar measures.
The state government should ensure the presence of adequate numbers of doctors, ANMs (assistant nurse midwifes) and nurses as well as supplies of medicines at primary and community health centres, the Campaign said.
The state government should also ensure that no one is harassed/hounded by the police or community as a Covid-19 suspect, as the poor and marginalized are bound to bear the brunt of these actions.
The government should move at faster pace towards a comprehensive social security system, including universalising all social security schemes (PDS, NREGA, pensions, school meals, ICDS, maternity benefits and health care) with enhanced benefits. Failing that, poverty and hunger will continue to haunt Jharkhand, and strike with force whenever a similar crisis occurs, they say.
Swati Narayan, a Right to Food activist, told The Telegraph that she saw Jharkhand migrant workers cramped in a train coming from Mumbai.
“They’ve been asked to leave, their money has run out, they just want to be home safe. The state must do all it can to protect its migrant work force. We don’t know how many there are, but the number must be in the thousands. They should not be viewed as a health threat.”
Asharfi Nand Prasad, another member, said they would approach the state government with these demands soon.
