With the pandemic, one thing is obvious that we shall see a reorientation of migration. There will be many instances across the country and in various states that we shall see a global phenomenon, that is, a citizen would be homebound, be it, migrant labourers or qualified professionals.

The human uncertainty this pandemic has made people wonder what is the ideal civilisation where the human race can exist with dignity, security and peace. The human inquest to explore will not end but the human need for security and comfort will also not be going away. 

What is going to happen cannot be predicted but policymaker, the political class and social thinkers would surely come out wise after the experience of handling the pandemic of the century. The challenges, new uprising, the so-called ‘new normals’, fear and helplessness and the determination to survive will make a new breed of generation. Every war makes brings in drastic changes, this Covid-19 will not be different.

There exist an opportunity if we as a society can see these citizens who have migrated back to their homeland as ‘valued human resource’ and identify them as assets, we shall be able to make real progress, adjustments and evolve as a society. If these people who had made a living through their sweat, talent, skills, innovation and struggle out of home, the same they can do so in their homeland. We need to provide them with the platform.

The rush to migrate to bigger urban regions in search of opportunities is not a very old phenomenon and time has come to stop the migration and make people stay in their own village, own home and do meaningful existence. Government and policymaker will do good to work in this direction and take present pandemic as a benchmark to start afresh to redraft their policy.

We should accept the fact that inbound citizen who has come home can be a great asset if we can identify, categorise and delegate the potential talent to a productive conclusion.