Right to Food and Work Campaign, West Bengal

Pic Courtesy: Shramajibi Mahila Samity, South 24-Parganas A call for the National Day of Mourning was given by the Right to Food Campaign and leading civil society networks on 1st June 2020. The Right to Food and Work Network, West Bengal in association with its member organizations also has marked the day in memory of the people who have died due to the apathy of the government agencies during the nationwide lockdown. Sit-in(s), demonstrations and related social action initiatives were taken by the field activists with adherence to physical distancing protocols. Women activists led the demonstrations in most of the field areas spread across twenty districts of West Bengal. The call to observe a National Day of Mourning to highlight the insensitive handling of the crisis arising out of the nationwide lockdown was necessitated by the outpouring of sufferings as reported by leading media houses and civil society networks. The call was supported by numerous people led initiatives...

Press Release | 04.05.2020 42 Unions and NGOs Demand Safe Passage For Migrant Labourers Returning to West Bengal List of 9090 Migrant Workers Submitted It is estimated that about 12 lakh workers from West Bengal are working in other states. Kerala alone is supposed to be housing 6 lakhs. Yet the State Government has arranged for two trains only (of which only one is from Kerala) and a few hundred buses. The Central Government has completely washed its hands off the matter. It has already been 40 days since the nationwide lockdown has been announced,  with the woes of the stranded migrant labourers increasing with each passing day. Today, 42 trade unions, people’s organisations and NGOs got together to issue letters to the West Bengal Chief Minister and Prime Minister asking for safe return of the workers. Their main demands are that the transportation arrangements need to be increased manifold immediately to bring workers back. The expenses for the return journey of th...

Pic courtesy: Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha, Murshidabad The Right to Food and Work Network in association with its member organizations has started the food aid programme (as a part of its COVID-19 relief programme) across the districts of West Bengal to reach out to people with essential food items during the ongoing nationwide lockdown. The campaign has been extensively disseminating information concerning schemes proposed by the central as well as the state government and advocating for inclusive public policy measures to cater to the population affected by the curbs announced to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. In spite of our relentless efforts to expand the reach of the Public Distribution System during the present crisis bearing fruits, we still felt the need to arrange for some essential food items for extremely vulnerable sections of our people. Landless cultivators, marginal farmers, agricultural labourers, erstwhile enclave dwellers, women in sex w...

On 30.04.2020, in reference to the Government Order vide memo No. 40-3/2020-DM-I (A) issued by Ministry of Home Affairs, North Block, New Delhi, concerning the return of stranded people to their respective home states. We the Right to Food and Work Campaign, West Bengal along with 20+ member Organisations have written a letter to Home Secretary, MHA, Govt. of India and Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal demanding the RETURN of stranded migrant workers since 24.03.2020 along with Seven (7) & Eight (8) point demands respectively (Coverage: Matters India ) The letter  to Home Secretary, MHA, Govt. of India  is as follows:  (Please follow the link provided at the bottom to preview the letters to  Home Secretary, MHA , Govt. of India & to  Chief Secretary , Govt. of West Bengal)                                                 ...

On 29th April, 2020, Right to Food and Work Campaign, West Bengal has expressed the concerns to the Principal Secretary, Department of Disaster Management and Civil Defence, Govt. of West Bengal regarding the SNEHER PARAS application launched by the state government for providing a relief scheme to migrant workers of West Bengal who are stranded at different parts of the country (outside the state) since 24.03.2020 due to lockdown induced by Corona Virus (COVID 19) pandemic. Though the initiative is highly appreciated and we have been assisting hundreds of such workers in knowing and filling in this form. However, we are forced to bring the issue of non- functioning of SNEHER PARAS application to urgent attention of the Principal Secretary, Department of Disaster Management and Civil Defence, Govt. of West Bengal, for some important observations and suggestions that ought to be taken in to consideration. The letter sent to the Principal Secretary, Department of Disaster Manag...

On 27th April, 2020, we have wrote a complaint letter to t he District Magistrate , North 24 Parganas, New Administrative Building, expressing our concern i n reference to the Government Order vide memo No: 1224-FS/O/Sectt/IT-19/2018 dated 31.03.2020, mentioning the provision to offer Food Coupons to ration card holders yet to receive their physical cards through postal service. It has come to our notice that a significant portion of the population residing in the Naihati area has not been able to benefit from the above mentioned Government Order. Below is the letter sent to t he  District Magistrate , North 24 Parganas, New Administrative Building . (to preview letter, click here ) To,                                                ...