Bhubaneswar: In a bid to raise awareness about livelihood and skill development programmes supported by the Odisha Government, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo today inaugurated the State’s first Mobile Migrant Resource Centre.

The mobile centre has been launched through a joint collaboration between the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and with support from the United Nations Migrant Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MMTF).

The initiative will primarily focus on outreach in five migration-prone blocks across Ganjam and Kendrapara districts. It aims to inform migrant workers and their families about government-supported programmes related to livelihood, skills training, and employment generation—particularly targeting women, youth, and returning migrants.

Deputy Chief Minister Singh Deo, who also serves as Chairman of the High-Level Task Force on Migrant Workers, emphasised the government’s commitment to empowering migrant communities through inclusive development initiatives.

A toll-free helpline number – 1800-345-7885 – was also launched to assist migrants in emergencies or for accessing information about available support and resources.

Several dignitaries attended the event, including Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment; Indramani Tripathi, Labour Commissioner; Sunil Shah, Protector of Emigrants, Ministry of External Affairs; Subhranshu Mishra, Additional Secretary, Agriculture; and Sangram Keshari Pattanaik, Joint Director of Agriculture. Representatives from the UN’s International Organization for Migration, FAO, WASAN, and SMRC were also present.