Jharkhand Journal of Development and Management Studies XISS, Ranchi, Vol. 19, No. 1, January-March 2021, pp. 8617-8633 RETHINKING ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT ABHIYAAN IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19 MIGRANT LABOURERS: A CHALLENGE

Shyamal Gomes1

In March 2020, the sudden lockdown in due to COVID-19 severely affected 8-10 million migrant labourers who are the backbone of Indian minor, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). They struggled with various issues like starvation, transportation to return home, sexual violence, Corona-phobia, Islamo-phobia and job insecurity as well as labour rights. Moreover, because of Centre vs State conflicts as well as social stigma like caste-class-power, the poor and marginalized labourers lost their basic/fundamental necessities. As a socio-economic reformer, on 12th May 2020, the Hon’ble , Sri Narendra Damodardas Modi announced a combined fiscal, monetary, regulatory, and structural reform packages of INR 20 trillion, about 10 per cent of India’s GDP, and explained India’s economic and social strategy postulated under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan (ABA) self-reliant India movement, and Be-Vocal-for-Local (BVFL). However, this article tries to examine and elaborate the text based on the challenges and opportunities of ABA and BVFL in the context of migrant labourers..

Keywords : Lockdown, Migrant Labourers, Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, Be Vocal for Local, COVID-19

Introduction

The present study tries to examine the challenges and opportunities of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan in the context of migrant labourers. Before going into the details of the studies, it will be of great importance to look into some of the theoretical propositions that the earlier studies have made in both the fields of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, and the ‘migrant labourers’. A theory is expected to perform two major functions, namely, explanation and prediction of a phenomenon. Broadly speaking, Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) is an old concept. Literary meaning of it is to depend upon an internal resources of the economy.

However, there is no universally acceptable theory of ‘migration’, which can explain the existing phenomenon of migration of people (labour) and product its future course. What we have is a set of hypothesizes and propositions that constitute higher –level generalization in the field of migrant labourers. However, study on human migration (migrant labour) itself is relatively a recent

1 Professor, Department of Human Resource Management, Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS), Ranchi, . Email: [email protected]

8617 8618 Gomes phenomenon. Only in the 19th century to we see some serious study (Ravenstein, 1885) in the field.

The basic concept of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ is human dignity, equality, and social justice. There three concepts and not separate and distinct but interrelated and dependent on each other. The emphasis is on co-operation as against competition. It lays emphasis on collectivity as against rugged individualism.

Since then, lot more interest has been shown by various scholars. The range of study itself has been multi-faceted anthropological, demographic, historical, sociological, economic, political, development, culture to name a few. It is a matter of fact that struggle for a survival or better livelihood is an intrinsic part of human culture. Migration from the place of scarcity to the plenty has always been attracting people individually as well as collectively. But studies on migration indicate that migration is both a challenge and a opportunity.

State-wise Migrants during the Pandemic

The belt is the main source of migrants. According to the Census (2011), four States, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh accounted for 50 per cent of India’s total inter-state migrants. On the other side, Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana housed 50 per cent of the country’s inter-state migrants. As widely believed, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar State are responsible for the most migrants. According to the 2011 Census, 20.9 million people migrated outside the state from these two States.

The table 1 gives the state-wise picture of out and in migrants labourers in India.

Table-1. State wise Status of out and in Migrants Sl Out Migrants In Migrants State Numbers in Lakh State Numbers in Lakh 1 Uttar Pradesh 104.71 Maharashtra 71.64 2 Bihar 42.21 Delhi 52.18 3 Rajasthan 28.97 Hariyana 32.26 4 Madhya Pradesh 25.52 Gujarat 30.90 5 Karnataka 21.95 Uttar Pradesh 25.31 6 Andra Pradesh 19.09 Madhya Pradesh 23.80 7 West Bengal 15.74 Jharkhand 21.61 8 Maharashtra 14.20 Karnataka 21.47 9 Gujarat 14.07 West Bengal 21.15 10 Jharkhand 13.28 Punjab 19.17 Source: Census, 2011 Rethinking Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan in the Context of Covid-19 8619

Figure 1 (given below) reveals that between 2001 and 2011, there was an increase in the growth rate of migrants headed for other destinations within their own states as compared to those headed outward. The number of so-called inter-state migrants grew at 55 per cent between the 1991 and the 2001 Census. This came down to just 33 per cent between the 2001 and 2011 Census. In contrast, the rate of growth in so-called inter-district migrants (within the same state) increased from 30 per cent between the 1991 and 2001 census to 58 per cent between 2001 and 2011. Not only are people moving within states, they are moving within districts. The growth in intra-district migration (movement within the same district) increased from 33 per cent to 45 per cent between 1991-2001 and 2001-11. Evidently, people are finding better opportunities closer home than they were before. Source: Census 1991, 2001, 2011

Source: Census 1991, 2001, 2011

What drives migration in India? The reasons vary by gender. Two-thirds of women who reported having migrated from their last place of residence cited marriage as the reason. Among men, work and business account for one-third of total migrations, which is also the single largest reason for migration among men. While migration for marriage among women is skewed towards closer distances, men do not seem to factor in distance while migrating for work. However, the primary reasons for migration are as follows:

Table-2. Reasons of – Intra and Inter –District/State Migration (in %) Reasons Intra - District Inter -District Inter - State Work / Business 35.1 34.7 30.3 Education 53.8 32.4 13.8 Marriage 65.4 26.6 8.1 After birth with household 54.8 29.2 15.9 Others 73.7 18.0 8.3 Source Census, 2011 8620 Gomes

District-wise migration data in the Economic Survey for 2016-17 reveal that the highest influx of migrants within the country is seen in city-districts such as Gurugram, Delhi and Mumbai along with Gautam Buddh Nagar (Uttar Pradesh); Indore, Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh); Bangalore (Karnataka); Thiruvallur, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Erode, Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu). The districts showing the highest outward movement of migrant workers include Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Moradabad, Rampur, Kaushambi, Faizabad and 33 other districts in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudra Prayag, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Almora, Champawat in Uttarakhand; Churu, Jhunjhunu, Pali in Rajasthan; Darbhanga, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Sheikhpura, Bhojpur, Buxar, Jehanabad in Bihar; Dhanbad, Lohardaga, Gumla in Jharkhand; and Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg in Maharashtra.

As per the Report of the Working Group on Migration, 2017 under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, 17 districts account for the top 25 per cent of India’s total male out-migration. Then of these districts are in UP, six in Bihar and one in Odisha. Relatively less developed states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have high net out-migration. Relatively more developed states like , Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka take positive CMM values reflecting net immigration. The largest recipient was the Delhi region, which accounted for more than half of migration in 2015-16, while Uttar Pradesh and Bihar taken together account for half of total out-migrants. Maharashtra, Goa and Tamil Nadu had major net in-migration, while Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh had major net out-migration,” the Economic Survey had further stated. Rethinking Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan in the Context of Covid-19 8621

The Report of the Working Group on Migration shows that the share of migrant workers is the highest in construction sector for females (67 per cent in urban areas, 73 per cent in rural areas), while highest number of male migrant workers are employed in public services (transport, postal, public administration services) and modern services (financial intermediation, real estate, renting, education, health) at 16 per cent each and 40 per cent each in rural and urban areas, respectively.

Actually, migrant labourers are the backbone of India’s informal sector and micro, small and medium enterprises. Their crisscrossing of states for jobs signifies economic integration, and also inter-regional and rural-urban disparities. While empowering themselves, they also enrich their home and host states. Generally, the migrants circulate annually for seasonal work, while others have become more or less permanent residents in their adopted state(s). A minority are fortunate to have fixed work while the majority are compelled to look for temporary work and migrate from place to place in search of short-term employment (Mazumdar, Neetha & Agnihotri, 2013). These labourers are predominantly from impoverished Dalit, Adivasi and Muslim communities - from the most economically backward regions in the country and across the border in Nepal and Bangladesh (Samaddar, 2020). They are the muscle, blood and bones that power the prosperity of different states and indeed the entire nation. Yet within India, they represent the invisible 99 per cent whose exploitation is intrinsic to the enrichment of the 1 per cent, or the Indian Dollar Billionaires (Oxfam, 2019).

The Challenges

On March 24 2020, Prime Minister Sri (India) announced a three-week national lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Drawing on his usual blend of Hindu mythology, advertising jingoist speak, and martial rhetoric, Modi announced a war against Corona. He said, “The Mahabharata war was won in 18 days… Our aim is to win this [Corona] war in 21 days” (Times of India, 2020). He gave the country a total of four hours notice to prepare for the cessation of life as we knew it. At the time of the sudden lock down, the million of migrant labourers in different states were helpless. Majority of them became unemployed overnight. These migrants especially the women, men and children who provide their blood and sweats in the field of construction, factories and small units, tea-coffee plantations, brick industry, food service industry, domestic work, waste collection, the taxi industry, the restaurant industry, care service industry and other informal and organised economic sectors were 8622 Gomes shocked. Shortly thereafter, they ran out of food and money to pay rent. Local authorities declared the high-density slums which most called home “containment zones”, and placed severe and overnight restrictions on movement. Migrants living on construction sites were abandoned by their employers and forced to venture outside for food and water when they often encountered anti-Muslim, anti-Chinese and anti-outsider abuse (Dalasanoor 2020). Neither they had jobs, nor income, moreover limited space (rented rooms/ accommodation) where young, adult, child (male & female) forced to stay all the time (because of Lockdown and afraid of COVID-19) . the following photographs (1 to 7) are self-explanatory:

COVID -19 lockdown: At the Ranchi – Kolkata Highway, which witnessed the crisis of migrant labourers with aged and Children. (Source / Credit Photo: Sanjay Kanojia /AFP).

COVID -19 lockdown: At the Delhi – Kolkata Highway, which witnessed a sea of migrant labourers for almost a week. (Source / Express Photo: Amit Mehera).

India coronavirus lockdown: At the Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh border, which witnessed a sea of migrant labourers. (Source / Express Photo: Gajendra Yadav). Rethinking Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan in the Context of Covid-19 8623

In solidarity with Prime Minister Modi, Indians rang bells, banged thalis (steel plates), and lit diyas (oil lamps) from the safety and comfort of their socially distanced, well-supplied homes at regular intervals through the lockdown. However, migrant workers remained invisible to the official gaze until they decided to walk thousands of kilometres home. They had neither money nor food but they refused to allow their precarious lives to descend further into indignity and abuse. This powerful act of resistance led to a steady stream of news reports which documented callous and inhumane treatment by police, officials, and countless others seeking to exploit their desperation.

The death toll from these long marches during the height of the Indian summer got the attention of media and social workers. However, this was a problematic visibility. Official and media discourse became dominated by problematic, gendered representations of migrants as carriers of disease, objects of charity and even super-heroes capable of superhuman feats of endurance (Thapliyal, 2020). It would take the Modi administration another four weeks to come up with a national plan to transport these workers into their homes. The plan to arrange special trains and buses were given another catchy name, ‘Shramik (Worker) Specials’, but incommensurate resources to respond to the magnitude of need. However, the national lockdown (COVID-19) has threatened to unravel this fabric. Their exodus from host states has created a humanitarian and health security challenge, and a logistical nightmare. Heartbreaking images of the grueling trek back home of distressed migrant labourers and the tragic loss of lives in road accidents have shaken India’s conscience. The operation, Shramik Express, which was ensuring the safe return of over four million migrants by buses and trains, ultimately showed that the government has mounted a whatever-it-takes response.

Survival of the Fittest: ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ (ABA) and “Be Vocal for Local” (BVFL)

On May 12, 2020 in his fifth address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an economic package totaling Rs 20 lakh crore to tide over the Covid-19 crisis under ‘Atma-nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’. The Rs 20 lakh crore package includes the government’s recent announcements on supporting key sectors and measures by . The Prime Minister in the address to the nation said, “It is our responsibility to ensure that the 21st Century belongs to India. The path to this is one – ‘Atma-nirbhar Bharat’ or Self- dependent India. The world’s biggest lockdown imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19 has severely impacted the domestic economic activities as it brought nearly 70 per cent of economic activity, 8624 Gomes investment, exports, and discretionary consumption to a standstill. So, to improve the prevailing turbulent economic environment and to provide a boost to the ailing economy, the central announced the Atma-nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, a financial package of Rs 20 lakh crore equaling to 10 per cent of the national GDP. According to PM Modi, “when India speaks of self-reliance, it does not advocate for a self-centered system, in India’s self-reliance there will be a concern for the whole world’s happiness, cooperation and peace.” However, according to Prime Minister Modi “India’s self-reliance could be based on five (5) pillars: economy, infrastructure, technology driven system, vibrant demography and demand, which details are as follows:

Economy - the First Pillar

Without strong and diversified economy, manifested not just in internal and external macroeconomic indicators, but in avoiding counterproductive imbalances in demand and supply, India’s major challenges of providing productive livelihoods and addressing urbanization challenges cannot be pursued vigorously. Therefore, this pillar is of crucial importance but must be integrated with others. Select examples of how ABA and BVFL are already being applied to the economy are the following:

First, in a very short period since the pandemic took hold, India has become the second largest producer globally of nearly 0.3 million PPEs and N95 masks per day. A PPE kit includes masks (surgical and N-95), gloves (surgical and examination), coveralls and gowns, head cover, goggles, face-shields and shoe cover. More than 600 companies in India are certified to produce PPEs, whose global market worth is expected to be over USD 92.5 billion by 2025, up from USD 52.7 billion in 2019. India aims to participate in this market.

Second, India is determined to enhance its domestic defence production capabilities, even as it continues its reliance on France, the United States and other countries for defence equipment. Consistent with the interpretation of the two strategic terms provided above, India plans to be an integral part of international trade and supply chain in the wide range of defense sector products and services. The defense ordinance factories are to be corporatized, paving way for private sector participation.

Third, India is set to further enhance its global competitiveness in the space sector. Rethinking Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan in the Context of Covid-19 8625

Fourth, India has established a task force to increase domestic production of oil seeds to obtain greater security for its cooking oil supplies. The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh plans to develop herbal belt with medicinal and herbal trees along 800 km national and state highways. In different occasions, he said that these plants will provide raw materials for the medicines and will also help in curbing the erosion of land. Arrangements for rain water recharging system on these herbal roads have been made.

Fifth, India’s Reliance industries, with market capitalization of around USD 120 Billion, has attracted FDI worth more than USD 10 billion since march 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, a vote of confidence in the company. The company is also reportedly preparing to list overseas Reliance Infocomm Ltd., a holding company which aims to emerge as a top e-commerce and payments operator in India’s vast consumer market. There are many more examples of India creating new growth nodes, and enhancing capacities to have its economy emerge stronger once the current severe downturn due to the pandemic has been managed.

Sixth, several states such as Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu have set up task forces to attract investments, both domestic and foreign, to the state. It is reported that German footwear brand, Von Wellx, has decided to move its factory operations from China to Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The company has more than 100 million customers in more than 80 countries.

Infrastructure – the Second Pillar

The INR 20 trillion packages contain many initiatives for infrastructure projects. These include, up-gradation of industrial infrastructure; substantive liberation of coal and other minerals and developing global competitiveness in Aircraft Maintenance, Repair, and overhaul subsectors etc. Road construction & infrastructure development along India’s border areas is also continuing. India’s current infrastructure projects are continuing. This is illustrated by the completion on May 26, 2020, of a tunnel, which is a part of INR 120 Billion “Chardham” project, below the densely populated Chamba town on Rishikesh-Dharasu road (NH 94), in Uttarakhand State by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Under the ‘’Char Dham’’ project, BRO is constructing 250 km of National Highway leading to holy shrines of Gangotri and Badrinath. In addition to the INR 20 trillion packages, and ongoing infrastructure projects, a Task Force on National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) submitted its report at end December 2019. Full report may be accessed at The Task Force projects the total 8626 Gomes project capital expenditure in infrastructure sectors in India during the fiscals 2020-2025 is about INR 102 trillion. During fiscals 2020 to 2025, sectors such as energy (24 per cent), urban (16 per cent), railways (13%) and roads (19 per cent) are to account for more than two-thirds of the projected infrastructure investments in India. Out of the total expected capital expenditure, projects worth INR 43 trillion (42 per cent) are under implementation, projects worth INR 33 trillion (32 per cent) are in conceptualization stage, and rest are under development. The Centre and State are each expected to contribute 39 per ent to total infrastructure investment, and the private sector, both domestic and foreign 22 per cent. The states have an equal weight, responsibility, and self-interest in having NIP succeed. Those states which prepare better will gain a competitive advantage, and location of economic activities and extent of value-addition in each state will be impacted accordingly. The Task Force has given recommendations on changes required to several key sectoral policies and other reform initiatives to be initiated by Central and State Governments. A monitoring mechanism has also been suggested to ensure timely implementation. While the pandemic will have some impact on the timing of NIP projections, the larger structure and patterns are not likely to be significantly affected as over two-fifths of the projects are already under implementation. India is exploring setting up a World Solar Bank (WSB) that may require a total equity capital of USD 10 billion and a paid-up capital of USD two billion. However, India may become the lead member by taking a 30 per cent stake in WSB, requiring a USD three billion commitment. ISA strategic goal includes mobilizing USD one trillion and reducing the cost of finance and technology.

Technology-Driven Arrangements the Third Pillar

The technology-driven arrangements are involving rural governance, economic and social management, and in delivery of public and private services, including transferring cash benefits of government programmes directly into a bank accounts. India ranks among the top five start-up ecosystems in the world. Over 30,000 start-ups have been recognized by the Central government. They are in consumer-oriented business and in business to business segments, and are becoming technologically more sophisticated. They are also attracting FDI. Encouragingly, they are focusing on issues faced by the consumers and businesses in the Indian context. As an example, India’s 12 million Kirana stores, usually family-owned small selling groceries and basic daily needs, and which control the overwhelming proportion of India’s estimated USD 700 billion the consumer market, are increasingly using technology in procuring, inventory control, and payment mechanisms. During this pandemic, the government has securely, and without Rethinking Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan in the Context of Covid-19 8627 leakages through the political operators directly transferred various benefits through a combination of JAM (a combination of Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Aadhaar card and mobile phone technology), foundations of which were vastly strengthened since entrusted with governance responsibilities since 2014. As on May 13, 2020, there were 386 million Jan Dhan Bank accounts, with balances of INR 1359 Billion. This was among the largest and successful technology-enabled financial inclusion programmes in the world. Another ambitious, technology-driven initiative of the government was one-nation-one ration card scheme. Under this scheme, any citizen residing in the country will be able to get cheaper food grains from the public distribution system shops (PDS shops) throughout the country. As of May 2020, 17 states were covered. It was anticipated that by end of 2020, all states will be covered. The idea was to subsidized food of low-income households, including an estimated 15 to 20 million migrant workers. Technology is actually being applied to power trading. Real- time trading on power bourses is likely to be adopted in the near future. This fits well with India s plans to achieve 450 gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy capacity by 2030.

Favourable Demographic Trends – The Forth Pillar

India is projected to exhibit a relatively young population profile for the next several decades as compared to many countries. More than two-fifths of India’s population in 2020 of 1380 million is under 21 years of age. Even by 2030, its population over 65 years will be 8.5 per cent of the total; and the median age will be 31.2 years. The relatively young population provides a potential avenue for higher growth, provided this demographic divided is tapped through appropriate growth enabling and skills enhancement which is marketable. Two examples of India widening employable skills training to wider sections of the population and taking a more positive view of its human resources are provided below. The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has completed the task of skill mapping of 14.75 lakh migrant workers who have returned to the state during the lockdown. The government is preparing to provide employment based on the skills of all migrant workers which will also ensure their social security. The Yogi government will now provide the workforce to other states only on the condition that the states guarantee social security for them. The Yogi Adityanath government is signing a MoU with industry bodies to generate nearly one million jobs for the 9.5 returning migrants. For the above initiatives to be sustained, Uttar Pradesh needs to become more attractive for its workers, and their skill levels need to be enhanced to compensate for resulting higher labour costs. Blending Central government’s social security initiatives 8628 Gomes with that of the state will better utilize fiscal and other resources. The second example is that the Tribal Affairs Ministry has entered into a partnership with Face book to train five thousand persons to obtain training from experts in different disciplines and fields. The pandemic has provided opportunities to vastly expand on-line learning and to greatly diversify options for individuals of all ages to acquire new skills. This is welcome development for improving human skills. There are indications that India’s education system is likely to be revamped to be consistent with the ABA and with BVFL, with greater emphasis on livelihood skills, and with Indian civilization values.

Demand or Purchasing Power of India-the Fifth Pillar

In national income accounts, demand is generated by consumption expenditure, investments, government expenditure on final goods and services, and by net exports. While consumption accounts for three- fifths of India’s GDP, it should be recognized that investment expenditure by private and public sectors, usually characterized as supply side, also generate demand, and help sustain businesses and households. ABA and BVFL strategic ideas can be expected to lead to larger multiplier effects of demand generated, benefiting the local economy.

In 2019, India’s nominal GDP was USD 2.9 trillion, and in PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) terms, it was USD 10.5 trillion. India became the fifth-largest economy in 2019. While some analysts are pessimistic about India’s growth prospects in 2020 and 2021, IMF in its April 2020 World Economic Outlook projects India’s real GDP growth at 1.9 per cent, highest among major economies.

India’s solid fundamentals, and the initiatives are taken by the policymakers explained in this column, makes a strong case that from second half of 2021, India’s growth trajectory will begin to attain the position of being among one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world. India needs to better leverage its large demand to become engaged with the world on better terms, including in accessing technology, and having greater access for its services.

Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan & Be Vocal For Local (ABA- BVFL) an Initiative for Self Reliant

The focal point of the concept is to make the nation self-reliant with more focus on local unemployed youth and local manufacturers or service providers. This may strengthen the economy, improve the standard of living and most importantly improve the trade deficit and Rethinking Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan in the Context of Covid-19 8629 the exchequer balance of the country. Making the country self-reliant in all spheres from manufacturing to supplying is the ultimate goal. It may help the country to reduce its dependence on imports and may also give a boost to exports. Therefore, the fall in imports will help reduce the trade deficit and will eventually lead to a trade surplus. And also may ensure that the country will able to sustain and tackle any black swan event that may emerge in future. As per Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the fiscal stimulus will help revive every sphere of the economy- from demand, supply to manufacturing. The package will focus on land, labour, liquidity and laws, so as to achieve self-reliance. The relief measures were announced in tranches by the Finance Minister . Let us take a look at the complete break-up of the package launched to make India “self-reliant” amid Post COVID-19 times.

Tranche 1:These set of relief measures are worth Rs 5,94,550 crore and includes funding as well as loan guarantees for MSMEs, NBFCs/HFCs, contractors, real estate and salaried workers.

Tranche 2: These set of relief measures are worth Rs 3,10,000 crore with a focus on migrant workers, small farmers, street vendors and the poor. Implement the principle of Economics with Macro Economics Made Easy Course by Market Experts

Tranche 3: These sets of relief measures are worth Rs 1,50,000 crore. The core focus of these measures is on the agriculture and allied sectors like dairy, animal husbandry, and fisheries so as to strengthen the overall farm sector.

Tranche 4: These sets of measures are worth Rs 48,100 crore with a focus on 8 critical sectors which are Coal, Minerals, Defence Production, Airspace management, Social Infrastructure Projects, Power distribution companies, Space sectors, and Atomic Energy.

In her second trance of COVID - 19 relief package announcements, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the steps taken by the government for migrants and farmers during the national lockdown, including free ration for stranded workers. Acknowledging the significance of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) during the pandemic, she said it had helped provide jobs to returning workers in rural areas and advised States to continue the process in the monsoon season as well. Migrant workers, the urban poor and small farmers are the targetted beneficiaries of these announcements. 8630 Gomes

Benefits and Shortcomings of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan (ABA): A Review

The research observed that in order to regain the strength of the economy in the global market with self-reliance, the Indian government launched the, Atma-nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan . Below are its possible benefits:

 Liquidity infusion and direct cash transfers into the accounts of laborers and daily-wage earners are helpful for their survival during the lockdown;

 Long-term modifications in critical sectors keep them globally competitive and attractive;

 Substantial growth in the e-commerce industry;

 Boost in the supply chain logistics industry;

 Lots of employment opportunities soon in the country.

 Reduction in scarcity for medical supplies and food grains.

However, the package failed to boost the confidence and bring optimism among the corporates, as the focus of the package is more on indirect benefits than on direct benefits. The government should have designed packages in such a way that would provide cash support rather than relying more on loans. The collateral-free or unsecured loans announced for MSMEs may lead to higher default in post COVID situation by the companies and lead to higher Non-Performing Assets (NPAs).

The banking sectors, especially the PSU, are already reeling under the bad loan issues and with unsecured loans, may see further deterioration in their asset quality. Higher default rates will also increase the cost burden of the government, as it may have to provide cushion to the ailing banks (www.thehindu.com). Moreover, the total government expenditure that will be incurred through the package is only 1 per cent of India’s GDP growth. As such these measures will not be adequate enough to boost the demand sentiment in the economy.

It is an all-time fact that one of the most severely affected sections of the population due to the extent the lockdown has been migrant workers, especially those in urban areas across the country. The recent Periodic Labour Force Survey conducted in 2017 by the National Sample Rethinking Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan in the Context of Covid-19 8631

Survey Office of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation had estimated that in India there were around 1,49,53,750 urban workers who had vulnerable jobs. These workers included helpers in a household enterprise and who did not receive a regular salary and casual labourers who received daily wages; besides this, the number considers only those in bottom 50 per cent of the wealth pyramid in 2017-18, based on their monthly per capita expenditure. This number extended to an estimated 2.5 crores people who had salaried jobs but did not receive any paid leave and other benefits immediately after the lockdown. Migrant workers numbered more than 81 lakh people among this segment. Now the questions are: 1) how the “Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan” or economic package of self-reliant India will act as oxygen for the survivability of the millions of jobless migrants? 2) without any proper training or skill development how much they will succeed in small scale industries in their home town? 3) from the government side is there any proper planning/ strategies for reverse migration at the post COVID situation 4) do the states or the central governments have the right data about the migrant workers/labourers? and 5) Whether the states are not under the central political party will get the same that central government declared for the migrant labourers? 5) And finally why the millions of people of India - men or women are still considered them as unskilled or semi- skilled labourers even after 74th year of independence.

Conclusion

The people of India have by now come to expect the announcement of a new programme from the government at periodic intervals. Thus in the past seven years, we have had , “Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan” and Demonetization or Less Cash and now an “Atmanirbhar Bharat” means self-reliant. Actually, self-reliant was the stated goal of economic policy in India in the early decades after 1947. The architect of this plan was Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, whose record as Prime Minister – especially economic – intellectuals associated with this government have trashed relentlessly. Now, over half a century after his death (1964), the fulcrum of his vision for India has been ceremoniously brought back with nary an acknowledgement. Practically speaking “will it be possible where the millions of people temporarily or permanently migrating every day from one place to another for employment and their survivability”? Scholars can take this research forward and come out with proper recommendations for the planners.

However, both the facts of economic development across the whole world and advances in the methodology of empirical research would help us make sense of the economic policies of early independent India. 8632 Gomes

History suggests that India did not pursue a strategy entirely out of line with what was adopted elsewhere. More importantly, we have evidence that growth here first accelerated in the early 1960s. This could only have been a consequence of the policies adopted in the earlier decade, notably the “Nehru-Mahalanobis” strategy in capital goods production via newly formed public enterprises. This evidence cannot be jettisoned easily. It is based on a statistical procedure that is free from the predilections of the practitioner. It conclusively disposes of the stance that nothing really changed in India after 1947, a view once held at both ends of the political spectrum but now the preserve of the right-wing. The same procedure also reveals that remarkable growth in India is still waiting to find out the right ways or sustainable development strategies.

However, while we know that the 1950s were literally path- breaking, we also know that the performance of India’s economy has for far too long left much to be desired. This is apparent when we look to our east, where all countries have surged ahead of us, raising national income and spreading it widely. We all know that the 1950s were literally path-breaking, we also know that the performance of India’s economy has for far too long left much to be desired. This is apparent when we look to our east, where all countries have surged ahead of us, raising national income and spreading it widely. We also know exactly how this has been achieved. Even as they had accumulated physical capital, our East Asian counterparts developed their human resources as much as possible. The question staring at us is why the Indian society with a highly educated elite in power failed to observe this as development played out over decades.

The answer may be found in the work of many Indian philosophers like Rabindranath, Mahatma Gandhi’s and many others. As with all of Gandhi’s ideas, “Gram Swaraj” should be understood and viewed within the context of the twin beacons of Truth and Nonviolence. However, put simply, the fundamental concept of Gram Swaraj is that every village should be its own republic, “independent of its neighbours for its own vital wants and yet interdependent for many others in which dependence is necessary,” according M. K. Gandhi, 1942.

This means each village in India should be basically self-reliant, making provisions for all necessities of life - food, clothing, clean water, sanitation, housing, education and so on, including governance and self-defence, and all socially useful amenities required by a community. Mahatma Gandhi was not advocating cultural chauvinism but intellectual autonomy when choosing what is best for India. After so many years COVID-19 once again gave us a wake-up call for making Rethinking Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan in the Context of Covid-19 8633

Atmanirbhar Bharat as well as Be Vocal for Local. Therefore, a self- reliant India will “integrate not isolate”. Recently, in her inaugural speech Ms. Gita Gopinath, chief economist, International Monetary Fund (IMF) rightly mentioned that India should keep spending on Rural Jobs high for another year to check a rise in inequality during the pandemic and have a medium-term fiscal consolidation strategy to keep borrowing costs low when the economy emerges from the current crisis. Probably that is why a total of Rs. 1.12 lakh crore had been earmarked for MGNREGS alone during 20-21. Finance Minister, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman allocated Rs. 73,000 crores for FY 21-2022; 11,500 crores higher than the last budget even as it is Rs. 42,000 crores less than the revised estimate this year. Let us hope and wait for a real Atmanirbhar Bharat in future rather not just a mere political slogan only.

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