Bhubaneshwar : The Odisha government and Tata Trusts on Saturday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to reduce migration from the Western Odisha districts.
A special action plan (SAP) has been prepared for intense action in 30 gram panchayats of two districts to curb migration and facilitate creation for opportunities of livelihood for migrant workers in the State.
Initially, the field for the implementation of the SAP prepared for this programme will be in Bolangir and Nuapada districts. It is expected that a fund flow of Rs 134 crore will help with implementation of the programme.
The special action plan will be scaled up and replicated in all other migration prone districts in a phased manner.
The special action plan will be implemented through a convergence model with departments of agriculture and farmers’ empowerment, Panchayati raj, water resources, skill development and food supplies and consumer welfare.
The National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR), Hyderabad was requested to conduct a short-term study in Bolangir, Bargarh, Kalahandi and Nuapada districts for suggesting alternative livelihood opportunities for migrant workers.
The NIRDPR report suggested short, medium and long-term measures which can be implemented within the existing development initiatives. The focus is already to identify already existing potential development and welfare programmes to match the needs of migrant families.
The suggestions of NIRDPR have been incorporated in the agreed activities under the MoU. The proposed strategies are expected to transform the quality of life and provide better employment generation, access to entitlements and safety-net during distress.
The objectives of the collaboration between the State government and Tata Trusts is to introduce people friendly and easy to use technologies for registration of migrant workmen, and support development of the database for the welfare of migrant workers.
It is expected that more than 20 lakh construction and migrant workers will be directly accessed through the database.
Labour commissioner Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav and chief financial officer and secretary Tata Trusts – Burzis Taraporevala, signed the MoU in the presence of chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
The chief minister said the special plan will help provide alternate livelihoods to address migration in Bolangir and Nuapada districts by improving the household income of poor families and reduce their vulnerability.
It will serve as a blueprint for other migration prone districts in the State, he said.
Minister of State for labour and employees’ State insurance Prafulla Mallik, chief secretary AP Padhi, development commissioner R Balakrishnan, principal secretary in labour and ESI department G Srinivas, senior officials from the State government and Tata Trusts were also present.
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