Odisha: Balangir tops migrant labourers’ list; 9 dists draw a blank

Bhubaneswar: As many as 40,088 labourers from Odisha have migrated to other states for jobs.

This was revealed by Labour Minister Sarada Prasad Nayak in the Assembly today.

The Odisha government has provided licences to 626 labour contractors under the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 till October, 2023. These contractors have facilitated the migration of altogether 40,088 labourers from the state to outside for jobs, said the Minister while replying to the query of Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati in the House.

According to the Minister, as many as 26,151 workers from Balangir district, the highest in Odisha, have migrated to other states. Nuapada district is the home to second highest number of migrant workers (8,205).

As per the government data, altogether 1,467 workers from Ganjam have gone out of the state for employment purposes.

However, no one from nine districts–Angul, Bhadrak, Boudh, Deogarh, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Malkangiri, Sonepur and Sundargarh–have gone to other states for job, said the government data.

The state government is introducing various measures for providing employment opportunities to the migrant labourers. It has launched a special package for migrant labourers under 20 blocks in districts like Balangir, Bargarh, Kalahandi and Nuapada, said the Minister.

The state government is providing 300 days of work to the labourers under the MGNREGA scheme in some pockets of the state. Besides, steps are being taken to include the migrant labouers under various welfare schemes of the government, added the Minister.

The Congress MLA had earlier sought to know details regarding the migrant labourers including the total number, district-wise figures and the steps taken by the government to tackle the issue.