NIZAMABAD: THE rice bowl of Telangana, Nizamabad, has become a provider of livelihood for hundreds of migrant workers from Bihar. Well known for its bumper paddy cultivation, the district has a good number of rice mills which provide employment to several people. With the local labourers turning towards agriculture given the good prospects, migrant workers from other states are making a beeline to the district to get employed at the rice mills here.
Until recently, the rice mill industry in the district depended on work force from Maharashtra. However, in the past two years, the Maharastra natives have not been coming for hamali work. “Maharashtra workers have purchased lands and become farmers with money earned from rice mills in the district,” the manager of a rice mill said. He said that as of now, several Bihari migrants have been employed as hamalis in the rice mills of the district. 65 rice mills around dist Nizamabad district has 65 rice mills situated close to Nizamabad and Bodhan towns.
All the rice mills employ at least ten persons throughout the year. During the seasonal days, these numbers go over 40. Loading and unloading activities in and outside the mills are mostly carried out by these workers. The mills also provide accommodation facility on their premises for them. When contacted, Nizamabad Rice Millers Association president M Dayanand Gupta has said that the entire State depends on workers from Bihar. “In recent years, labour force coming from Bihar has increased. Since they are hard workers, rice mills, ginning mills etc prefer employing them,” he explained.