Bhubaneswar: A total of 518 migrant labourers from Odisha have died in the last five years, Labour Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia informed the Assembly on Tuesday.

Majority of deaths reported from six districts

The highest casualties were reported from Kalahandi (60), followed by Ganjam (56), Balangir (38), Kandhamal (34), Nabarangpur (35) and Rayagada (34).

Also Read: Odisha: Balangir tops migrant labourers' list; 9 dists draw a blank

Bodies of 395 workers returned to families

In a written statement, the Minister stated that the labourers had died both outside Odisha and abroad after migrating in search of work.

Of the total 518 deceased workers, 395 bodies have been brought back and handed over to their families, he added.

239 migrant worker deaths recorded in last two years

Responding to another query raised by BJD MLA Dhruba Charan Sahoo (Rajanagar), the Minister said 239 migrant workers from Odisha have died in the last two years alone, underscoring the continued vulnerability of the state’s migrant workforce.