Govt launches portal to collect data related to tribal migrant workers

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The tribal affairs ministry launched a portal on Friday to collect data related to tribal migrant workers and link them with the existing welfare schemes.

Launching the portal, "ShramShakti", through a video-conference, Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda said the lack of real-time data on migrants was the biggest challenge facing the Centre as well as state governments in formulating effective strategies and policy decisions for the welfare of migrant workers.

The data collected through the portal will include demographic profile, livelihood options, skill-mapping and migration pattern.

"Migrants all over the country had to face hardships after the lockdown was announced due to the coronavirus pandemic. The migration of the tribal population is distress-driven and the migrants are exposed to difficult and unsafe conditions," Munda said.

He said the "ShramShakti" portal will be able to successfully address the data gap and empower the migrant workers, who generally migrate in search of employment and income generation.

It will also help the government link the migrant population with the existing welfare schemes, the minister said.

Munda also launched a tribal training module -- ShramSaathi -- to ensure that the process of livelihood migration is safe and productive.

"Tribal migrant workers often have low awareness about their rights and entitlements and ways to access services and social security in source and destination areas," he said.

After training, tribal migrant workers will be able to demand and access services, rights and entitlements related to livelihood and social security in their villages before migration and their destinations after migration, Munda said.