Labour migration including human trafficking continues in Talsara
Talsara MLA Bhawani Shankar Bhoi accused the government of failing to contain the migration trend or ensuring safety of the migrant labourers at their workplace in other states.
Published: 02nd August 2023 08:30 AM | Last Updated: 02nd August 2023 08:30 AM | A+A A-
The sharp rise in urban unemployment shows the phenomenon of reverse migration of workers going back home to the villages from cities has again become pronounced.
ROURKELA: In the absence of adequate livelihood opportunities, migration of labour including human trafficking continues unabated in the Talsara Assembly constituency of the tribal-dominated Sundargarh district. The migration in search of greener pastures is voluntary, but it comes with physical, financial and mental exploitation in many cases. Surprisingly, the state government has no data of the migrating workforce.
Talsara MLA Bhawani Shankar Bhoi accused the government of failing to contain the migration trend or ensuring the safety of the migrant labourers at their workplaces in other states. “With no income generation options available in my constituency, young tribals are forced to travel to other states to support their families. In numerous cases, it is found they are not paid properly and kept like bondage workers,” he claimed.
Bhoi further said agriculture is the primary source of livelihood in Talsara, but a single crop depending on monsoon rain is not helpful. Besides, people do not have adequate land holdings and many are landless. The administration has failed to create awareness on PM Mudra Yojana and PM Employment Generation Programme.
“No tangible efforts have been made to make agriculture profitable and poor tribal families involved in the collection of non-timber forest produce are not getting the right prices due to exploitation by organised rackets. With self-employment or small-scale business opportunities, the problem could be contained to some extent,” he said.
The MLA alleged that the government has made no efforts to keep records of migrant workers of Talsara. Replying to a question of Bhoi in the Assembly on February 22 this year, then Labour Minister Srikant Sahoo said no labour licence was issued from the Talsara constituency under the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (RE&CS) Act, 1979. No information was available regarding workers from Talsara working outside the state. Talsara Assembly constituency comprising Subdega, Bargaron, Balishankara and part of Lefripada blocks, has a population of over six lakh with the majority being tribals.
