Bhubaneswar: To address migration of people from Odisha for livelihood, the State Government has roped in a professional agency to study the root causes and solutions for migration.
The Government has decided to engage Nudge Foundation, an action institute working towards poverty-free India, for this purpose.
This was decided at the meeting of the High Level Task Force led Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo constituted to solve the problem of distressed migration labourers held here today at Lok Seva Bhavan conference hall.
Nudge Foundation has successfully completed work in West Bengal and Jharkhand. There are two main reasons why people prefer to go out on migration: firstly because of the expected higher earnings, and secondly because of the not feasible livelihood options available.
A relatively large number of people from districts like Ganjam, Balangir, Kalahandi, Jharsuguda, Bargarh go to other states as laborers in search of livelihood and earnings.
Among them, people who go to other states from Ganjam district are mainly in the hope of earning more money by aspirational migration and from other districts in search of livelihood and to pay back the loans.
This problem will be solved to some extent by providing all the facilities of sustainable livelihood in the state to the people who go out of the state in search of livelihood.
Nudge Foundation will provide people with means of livelihood according to the climate, environment and needs of the respective region.
For this, the Nudge Foundation will first study the root causes and solutions in the migration-prone districts and Gram panchayats of Odisha.
Based on the study, the future approach will be determined in consultation with the government, said the Deputy Chief Minister.
Food Security, Social Security, Sustainable Livelihoods and Prospective Employment (Graduation Approach) can help to address this problem. Once the livelihoods are provided, the Nudge Foundation will assess their financial and social status at regular intervals, he said.
Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari suggested using cluster approach in panchayats or blocks where there is more migration.
Among other members of this task force, Rural Development Minister Rabi Narayan Naik, Labour & ESI Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, DC, Anu Garg, and Principal Secretary Finance, Saswat Mishra attended the meeting.