Bhubaneswar: The ongoing migration crisis in Odisha, driven by climate change and loss of livelihoods, came under sharp focus on the second day of the three-day ‘Earth Again’ Conference-2025 organised by the Sambad Group in Bhubaneswar.

During a session titled “Climate Migration - Building a Climate Resilient Administration,” experts called for strengthening livelihood systems and policy interventions to address climate-induced migration.

Speaking at the session, Umi Daniel, Director of Migration and Education at Aide et Action, said large-scale migration continues across Odisha, especially from coastal and southern regions. Thousands of people are moving to states like Kerala and Gujarat in search of work after losing their traditional livelihoods. “Farmers are migrating because agriculture has become unviable, and fishers say they no longer earn from fishing. Around 7 to 8 lakh Odias are now working in Surat alone,” he said.

He pointed out that 80% of Odisha’s migrant workers are unskilled, with climate change being a major driver. “After every natural calamity, the government limits its role to relief and rescue, neglecting livelihood restoration. This forces people to migrate,” he added.

Citing that the average age of farmers in the state is 42 years, Daniel warned of a worrying future for agriculture if the trend continues. He also reminded that Odisha was the first and only state in India to introduce labour migration registration. However, despite such efforts, migration continues as workers get employment for only 57% of the days under MGNREGA.

He suggested that migration should be viewed with dignity. “We should no longer call it 'Dadan'. Migrant workers contribute significantly to the state’s economy, and livelihood development must be prioritised in disaster management,” he said. Daniel also revealed that while remittances worth Rs 5,000 crore come to Ganjam district every year, around 200 bodies of migrant workers have returned home in the last five years.

Indramani Tripathy, Labour Commissioner of Odisha, acknowledged that migration from the state continues but argued that it is not entirely negative. “Earlier, people migrated due to droughts, but now migration also happens for better economic opportunities. People from other states are also coming to Odisha. Migration, in some cases, contributes to positive economic development,” he said.

Tripathy added that new welfare measures are being implemented for migrant workers, including education and accommodation support for their children. He stressed that while exploitative 'Dadan' practices must be stopped, migration should not always be seen negatively.

Echoing the need for policy-level intervention, Sheetal Patil, Faculty at the IIHS School of Environment and Sustainability, said one in every four Indians is a migrant, and Odisha ranks fourth in climate-induced migration cases.

“The state has a crucial responsibility in addressing this issue. Awareness about climate change must begin at the panchayat level,” she said, adding that gender and social security must also be integrated into the state’s climate policies.

She urged the state administration to study migration patterns and design context-specific strategies to build resilience and reduce distress migration.