April 27th 2024.
The issue of migration has greatly impacted the district of Kalahandi, with thousands of people leaving their homes every year in search of job opportunities. According to sources, the most popular destination for these migrants are the states of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Goa. Mumbai and Pune also seem to be favorable options for those seeking higher wages and better working conditions.
However, the sad reality is that many of these migrants are unable to achieve their aspirations. In some cases, they are forced to work as bonded laborers and are not paid their wages on time, and even have to go without proper meals. It's disheartening to hear that there have been instances where migrants from Kalahandi have passed away in other states and were not given a proper funeral. Sources have revealed that in the past 12-15 months alone, 22 individuals from the district have lost their lives in other states.
The epicenter of this migration seems to be the Dharamgarh block in Kalahandi. Every year, hundreds of people from Dharamgarh, Koksara, Kalampur, Golamunda, Junagarh, and Jaipatna migrate to other states in pursuit of a better livelihood. The situation has become dire due to the lack of action from the district administration and the state Labour department, according to sources. A prime example of this is Manjhari village, located in Golamunda block. Out of the 3,000 registered voters in the village, more than 2,000 have left for other states in search of work. As a result, the village now appears deserted, with most houses locked and very few people seen on the streets. The few remaining villagers who have not migrated lament that they have not been provided with any job opportunities by the district administration.
Despite the tragic deaths of two villagers in Tamil Nadu and Telangana last year, many others still have the desire to leave. As one resident puts it, they have no other choice but to seek employment elsewhere in order to support their families. Dibya Shankar Das and Kameni Kanda, who have recently returned to Manjhari village from Chennai, shared their experiences of not being paid their proper wages in the past. They revealed that due to the lack of job opportunities in the district, they were compelled to migrate for better employment prospects.
When contacted, District Labour Officer Subhash Chandra Mandal stated that special awareness programs have been initiated to discourage people from leaving for other states. He also mentioned that those without jobs are required to register at the local panchayat office, but many fail to do so. It is clear that the issue of migration needs urgent attention and effective measures must be taken by the concerned authorities to provide sustainable employment opportunities for the people of Kalahandi.
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