After experiencing a rapid influx of about 3.5 million migrants in the state amidst the lockdown, the UP government is working on providing life, medical and accidental death insurance cover to migrant workers. Presently several discussions are being held with insurance companies to explore whether premium requirements under the existing PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and the PM Suraksha Bima Yojana can be reworked to cover nearly 40 million workers in the unorganized sector, including street vendors and rickshaw pullers, said a senior government official in the labour department. As far as medical insurance is concerned, it will be covered through an extended Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
A cover of ₹5 lakh will be paid by the state, to a worker’s kin in case of his death during an accident. The registration of the workers will be carried out after chief minister Yogi Adityanath gives the go-ahead. Formed in June, the Uttar Pradesh Labour (Employment Exchange and Job) Commission, will be helmed by the CM, with an objective to find gainful employment and provide social security to relieve the plight of the migrants after the lockdown.
Measures of social security will be different from the schemes under the planned Building and other Construction Workers (BOCW) Act. UP has 16 schemes in the act that includes medical insurance and pension in case of death or disability, under which 2 million are registered presently.
