Delhi govt survey says only 10% migrants in shelters want to return home, BJP questions claim

The survey was commissioned by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board & conducted by a marketing agency over a three-day period from 30 April to 2 May.

A mother feeding her daughter in a migrant shelter in Delhi | Photo: Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

New Delhi: Even as desperate migrants walk and even cycle to their native villages, a Delhi government survey claims that only 10 per cent of the 7,000 migrants lodged in 246 state-run shelters, including five schools, across the national capital want to return home.  

The survey was commissioned by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) and conducted by a marketing agency over a three-day period from 30 April to 2 May. The survey was conducted after the central government allowed the movement of migrant workers but has not taken into account thousands of such labourers who have taken shelter in community centres and sports complexes. It has also not accounted for the migrants who are not in any of these shelters.

DUSIB member Bipin Rai confirmed the development to ThePrint. “We laid out a pro forma wherein forms were given to migrants workers, pilgrims and students to fill out,” he said. 

On the survey being at odds with the ground reality, with a large number of migrants seen to be returning home, Rai said, “Perhaps they’re coming to terms with the lack of opportunity once the lockdown is lifted as relaxations are already being granted.” 

Along with being asked if they wanted to return home, the survey also sought other details from the migrant workers such as about food and other facilities being provided at the government shelters. They were also asked to share personal details including names, phone numbers, native villages and occupation. 

The combined survey report has been sent to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), which is monitoring migrant workers’ welfare in the national capital. The applicants are mostly from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Haryana and Jharkhand. 

Survey flayed by experts, opposition

The survey has, however, drawn flak from experts and the opposition BJP in Delhi.

For one, its sample size is relatively small in comparison to the total number of migrants in the national capital. 

A survey by the Centre for the Study of Developing Studies (CSDS) in 2018-19 pegged the migrant numbers in Delhi at 27 per cent of the total working population. According to the 2011 census, Delhi has a working population of just over 53.1 lakh, 27 per cent of which is 14,33,700 or a little over 14 lakh.  

“Who would believe this survey given the circumstances?” Sanjay Kumar, director, CSDS, asked. “In our earlier studies on Delhi migrants, 65 per cent said yes in response to our question on if they were provided adequate facilities and opportunities in their native villages, would they go back.” 

The opposition too slammed the survey. “I feel they’re trying to come up with such surveys to show that migrants don’t want to go home,” said Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari. “But who will want to stay when proper ration isn’t being provided, and people are on the roads.” 

It also comes at a time when the first of special migrant trains left Delhi. On Thursday, 1,200 migrant labourers left on the first of the ‘Shramik Special’ trains for Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh.

DUSIB member Rai, however, defended the survey. “Well, we have tried to include (in the survey) maximum shelters where the stranded workers were residing during lockdown, including some schools too associated with DUSIB,” he said. 

Survey goes against DUSIB own numbers

The survey also goes against the DUSIB’s own experience in dealing with those who want to return home.   

The DUSIB had Tuesday shared the link to a form on its website for migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists and students looking to return home.  According to S.K. Mahajan, chief engineer, DUSIB, as soon as the link went live Tuesday, 12,000 people registered following which the website crashed Wednesday. 

“So many people login at the same time that perhaps the website hung, we are looking into it,” Mahajan said, adding that the compiled data from each day will be sent to the district magistrates of all 11 districts in Delhi. On Wednesday, another 2,000 people registered, taking the total requests to 14,000.

The online form consists of basic personal details, including name, age, gender, mobile number, Aadhaar card details, destination state, permanent address, medical conditions, number of family members if any, besides the purpose in leaving the city. 

The form also includes questions on the reason behind migrants’ stay in Delhi. 

ThePrint has learnt that the administrative officials will prioritise those whose reasons seem urgent and genuine in line with guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.   

The AAP government has also decided that the nodal officers for the migration process will ensure that all those stranded are medically screened and that there are sufficient trains and buses for them to travel back home.