Lockdown 2.0: Centre Urges States to Designate Nodal Officers for Resolving Problems of Migrant Workers

New Delhi: Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Gangwar has asked the States and UTs to designate nodal officers to coordinate with the control rooms set up by the ministry to mitigate migrant workers’ problems amid the coronavirus lockdown.

In a letter written by Gangwar yesterday to the Labour Ministers of State/UT Governments, he said that the officers in the Labour Departments may be sensitised about these 20 Control Rooms.

Underlining the need for coordinated efforts of the Central and State Governments, Gangwar said, “the coordinated efforts of Central and State Governments are required in order to resolve the grievances of the workers.”

Ministry of Labour and Employment had recently set up 20 Control Rooms under the Chief Labour Commissioner (C) on pan India basis due to issues of workers arising in the backdrop of COVID-19. Initially Control Rooms were concerned with wage related grievances related to central sphere and issues of migrant labour, an official statement said.

However, after operation of Control Rooms in the last few days, it has been observed that out a total 2100 grievances received in the 20 Control Rooms till yesterday, 1400 pertains to various State/UT Governments.

As such, labour being a concurrent subject, it is important that a proper coordination is established with various State/UT Governments to resolve the grievances. The Minister also forwarded the list of 20 Central Control Rooms alongwith names of officers deputed by the Central Government for ready reference, it added.