.........BHUBANESWAR: Given that the monsoon has almost failed the farmers in the western region of Orissa with deficit ranging from 9-40 per cent, the phenomenon of large-scale migration this season is going to be more pronounced. A study on migration trends in Western Orissa by Migration Information and Resource Centre has dropped enough hints.


The report reveals that lean monsoon is the time when the labour contractors go for the kill. Their modus operandi is: lend advances to the poor families and extract a pledge for labour from October to June next.

As per an estimate, annually two million people migrate from the predominantly tribal Western Orissa. In Nuapada, which has received 26 per cent deficient rainfall this season, over 75,000 migrate to Andhra Pradesh/Raipur every year. This happens despite the implementation of NREGS. This is not the story of Nuapada alone but of the entire Western Orissa.

A study of their socio-economic profile reveals more. The families that migrate for livelihood have a very meagre monthly income of Rs 1,250 - that means below $ 1/day or Rs 45/day. Though they come under the category of ‘extremely poor’, 24 per cent of them don’t have any ration card. This makes them more vulnerable to food insecurity and forces them to migrate as they need loans to survive. As high as 59 per cent households have BPL/Antodaya cards but in lean season they don’t have the purchasing power. The result: take loans and turn migrant labourers.

The biggest revelation is a massive 73 per cent of the households held job cards under the NREGA but still migrated! Why? Either they get jobs for only 15-20 days against the norm of 100 days or payment is yet to be made to them. In lean season, this hurts the poor households most.

The trends suggest that migration from the areas declined during 2006 and 2008, when the State received a good rainfall. However, the years 2007 and 2009 registered a rise in migration rate. The rise shows that there is no contingency plan in the migration districts till date despite a recurring syndrome.

As per the Action Aid International, there is a need for strong government interventions by way of corruption-free service delivery system as well as special short and long-term programmes for these special areas.