Report also made observations about the failure of implementing the One Nation One Ration Card scheme among migrant workers
The report sought clarity on the status of a national database of migrant workers to ensure the efficacy of implementing the ‘One Nation One Ration Card’. Photo: iStock. A national policy to combat viral and other such diseases which have a pandemic potential is the need of the hour, noted a parliamentary committee report tabled in Lok Sabha December 15, 2022.
The document titled Covid-19 Pandemic: Global Response, India’s Contributions and the Way Forward stressed the need for mechanisms other than the Crisis Management Plan put in place by the Union health ministry and the Guidelines on Management of Biological Disasters disseminated by the National Disaster Management Authority of India.
This would ensure that “health issues are accorded the desired priority with a ‘whole of government approach’ towards prevention, containment and management of viral and other diseases.”
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The report was tabled by the Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament PP Chaudhary. It made several recommendations about key lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chief among them was underlining the importance of regular surveillance measures, keeping in mind how quickly the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates.
So far, the Indian Council of Medical Research has conducted four sero surveys at the national level, the government noted.
The first survey was conducted between May and June 2020. It found a prevalence of 0.73 per cent of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among the general population in India.
The second assessment was in August-September 2020. During this period, 7.1 per cent prevalence of antibodies was found.
The third survey was carried out during December 2020-January 2021. It saw a prevalence of 24.1 per cent and the most recent in June-July 2021 noted a prevalence of 67.6 per cent.
Sero surveys should continue on a regular basis, state-wise, with increased sample size, given “the sample size of earlier surveys appear to be small and inadequate,” the committee noted.
While the results of the above-mentioned four sero surveys are available in the public domain, the document stressed the importance of keeping such information easily accessible.
Also read: COVID-19: Social tension in Bihar over returning migrants
Enhanced access to information can help maintain awareness about the “prevalence of disease in various age groups and modification in behaviours to prevent community transmission of virus.”
The document also made observations about the failure of implementing the One Nation One Ration Card scheme among migrant workers.
Non-profits Satark Nagrik Sangathan and Delhi Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan have also criticised the scheme.
The report sought clarity on the status of a national database of migrant workers to ensure the efficacy of implementing the ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ and collaborating with relevant ministries and departments to ensure no further delay.
Lack of financial literacy and awareness about various schemes are some of the hurdles noted by the committee.
It reiterated the “creation of a national database of migrant workers and implementation of ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ scheme as it is the life saver for migrant workers even in the post-Covid times.”
Also read: COVID-19 has made the invisible visible
Other observations made by the committee include criticism of the Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping (ASEEM) and the Skilled Workers Arrival Database for Employment Support.
The ministries of skill development and entrepreneurship, external affairs and civil aviation launched the two schemes to create a “database of the skilled workforce returning to the country under the Vande Bharat Mission and facilitating employment opportunities for those registering on ASEEM portal.”
The committee observed that there is a need to review and introduce more comprehensive interventions in the outreach programme of ASEEM.
Of the 7,16,662 workers who have returned from Gulf countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic, job connect has been established with only 7495 candidates, the assessment noted. The pandemic also highlighted the depth of the digital divide in India.
With the education system shifting online during the worst phases of the pandemic, several students faced difficulty accessing education. Reasons for this range from the availability of devices to connectivity issues.
“Mechanisms should be chalked out to bridge the digital divide and keep us ready for handling any such situation in future and disseminate online learning through private channels besides the DD channel,” the report reiterated.
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