The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labor is not enthusiastic about the progress made on the two schemes to provide food and rental accommodation to migrant and unorganized sector workers. According to a committee member, the committee can submit its recommendations in the first week of September.

Representatives of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on Monday informed the committee about social security and welfare measures for migrant laborers, unorganized and informal sector workers. A member of the committee said that one country, one ration card, and subsidized rental housing complex (ARHC) schemes did not progress as expected.

We are preparing our recommendations and comments. The final report can be submitted in the first week of next month. The government came up with two models under ARHC. One, to rent vacant houses built in collaboration with the Center and the states and secondly to make private and government sector accommodation on vacant land for rent to migrant and informal sector workers. There was no significant progress on the ARHC scheme except in Punjab.

Regarding the initiative of providing food to migrant laborers, the member said that this July, there were around 2000 beneficiaries of One Country One Ration Card initiative whereas there are 81 crore ration cardholders in the country. He said that due to several technical issues, the progress of this scheme is being hampered and the committee will also make its recommendation in this regard. One country, 24 states, and union territories have been included under one ration card scheme.