Bhubaneswar: A high-level task force under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Energy, Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, held its third meeting today at Lokseva Bhavan to address the persistent issue of distress migration.
The meeting’s focus was to finalize a roadmap to curb the problem by implementing a comprehensive strategy based on a survey conducted by The Nudge Foundation.
To combat migration, the task force has decided to implement effective livelihood practices. The models, such as the Odisha PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) Livelihood Model and Mukhya Mantri Janjati Jeevika Mission, will be leveraged to create local employment opportunities and reduce the need for workers to seek employment elsewhere.
Additionally, migrant workers will receive skill enhancement training to equip them with the tools needed for sustainable livelihoods within their home state.
The government is committed to ensuring that every household in migration-prone districts and blocks has access to existing welfare schemes. These schemes include MGNREGS, Subhadra, Input Assistance to farmers (Kharif & Rabi seasons), MKUY, Kamdhenu Yojana, goat rearing, and plantation programs.
A saturation drive will be conducted to achieve 100% coverage, with various line department officers and secretaries certifying the implementation. Reports indicate that input assistance to farmers has already helped in reducing migration to some extent.
In a coordinated effort, the Labour, PR&DW, FARD, and Agriculture Departments have initiated strategies to match the income from migration.
These initiatives include providing more irrigation support, canals, and an additional 200 wage days for unskilled workers under MGNREGS as a state-supported measure. Other programs like Gramodaya, Model Gram Panchayat, and contract farming are also being implemented.
A committee will be formed to amplify household outcomes and crack down on labor sardars (middlemen). The committee will work in a mission-mode, coordinating with enforcement officers, police, railway officers, and district administration to address the issue of exploitation.
Deputy Chief Minister, Minister of, Women & Child Development, Mission Shakti, Tourism Smt. Pravati Parida, Revenue & Disaster Management Shri Suresh Pujari, RD, PR&DW Minister Shri Rabi Narayan Naik, SME, SC&ST, SSEPD Minister Shri Nityananda Gond, Forest & Environment, Labour & ESI Minister Shri Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, Industry Minister Shri Sampad Chandra Swain, FARD, MSME Minister Shri Gokulananda Mallick, Principal Secretary, Finance, Shri Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra, Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Principal Secretary Dr.Arabinda Kumar Padhee, PR&DW,Secretary, Shri S N Girish, DGP, Shri Y B Khurania, Additional Director General of Police, Railway, Shri Arun Bothra, Labour Commissioner, Shri Indramani Tripathy, representative from The Nudge foundation, and senior officers from different departments were attended the meeting.