Case: In Re Problems and Miseries of Migrant Labourers
The Supreme Court mandated that all states implement the "one nation, one ration card" programme, which allows migrant workers to get ration benefits from anywhere in the country, by July 31, 2021. The Supreme Court also issued a host of other directives regarding migrant workers' benefits and well-being.
The directions issued by the Supreme court were on the following lines: -
(i) It is directed that the Central Government develop the Portal in consultation with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) for registration of the unorganized labourers/migrant workers. We also impress upon and direct that the Central Government as well as the respective States and the Union Territories complete the process of Portal for registration under the National Data Base for Unorganised Workers (NDUW Project) as well as implement the same, which by all means may commence not later than 31.07.2021. We also impress upon and direct that the process of registration of the unorganized labourers/migrant workers is completed at the earliest, but not later than 31.12.2021.
(ii) The Central Government has undertaken to distribute an additional quantity of foodgrains as demanded by the States/Union Territories for distribution to migrant labourers under some Scheme framed by the States, we direct the Central Government, Department of Food and Public Distribution (Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution) to allocate and distribute foodgrains as per the demand of additional food-grains from the States for disbursement of dry foodgrains to migrant labourers.
(iii) We direct the States to bring in place an appropriate scheme for the distribution of dry ration to migrant labourers for which it shall be open for States to ask for allocation of additional foodgrains from the Central Government, which, as directed above, shall provide the additional foodgrains to the State. The State shall consider and bring an appropriate Scheme, which may be implemented on or before 31.07.2021. A such scheme may be continued and operated till the current pandemic (Covid-19) continues.
(iv) The States, that have not yet implemented the "One Nation One Ration Card" scheme are directed to implement the same by not later than 31.07.2021.
The order was issued by a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and MR Shah in the suo moto case 'In Re Problems and Miseries of Migrant Labourers.' The bench dismissed the suo moto case based on the foregoing instructions.
On March 24, the court directed that states and union territories give dry rations and operate communal meals for migratory labourers who have been trapped owing to the COVID outbreak and lockdown. The bench also asked the Centre and the States to finish registering migrants and unorganised labourers in the shared national database so that they can benefit from the different statutory welfare schemes.
The Supreme Court took the suo moto case in May 2020 to deal with the difficulties of migrant workers during the national lockdown, and it was listed for review again in May 2021 during the second wave of the epidemic.