1. Employment, Skills and Migration

2. Un organised Labourers in Odisha -Some facts
Unorganized workers constitute lakh in Odisha, out of which 86.1% are from rural and are from the urban- Census 2011
Odisha’s primary sector contribution to GSDP is only 20 percent but employs 62% of workforce.
In contrast the services sector that contributing a massive 41 percent to GSDP could employ only close to 21 percent of the workforce.
The secondary sector has a contribution of around 39% but employs only 17 percent during Odisha Economic Survey
Increase of 22.9% of total workers in 2011 over 2001 in Odisha. Displacement from Agriculture and joining in labour force.
The marginal workers constitute 39% of the total workforce out which, staggering 82% of workers engaged for 3-6 months and 18% workers engage less than 3 months. - Census 2011

3. Census 2001 describes Odisha as one key labour sending state- 937148 interstate migrant labourers
Informal estimates of 2 to 3 lakh unskilled labour migration from western and southern districts and mostly poor landless, small & marginal farmers migrates with family
Increasing trend of youth migration
More than 8000 bonded labourers in Odisha
MGNREGA failed to fulfill adequate employment need of unskilled labourers
Only 33.4% household availed work during
8.9% HHs completed 100 days work
Employment generation reduced to 24.9% during

4. Key concerns Increasing unemployment among unorganised workers
Low wage rate and low income growth
Lack of portability of entitlment and basic service for inter and intra state migrant workers
Mismatch between quality of supply and demand of labour
More labour are unemployed due to lack of requisite skill
MGNREGA has failed to meet the employment need of un-organised and un-skilled laborers due to malfunctioning
Large scale distress migration of poor un-organised labourers, increasing trend of labour exploitation,
Situation of debt bondage – 2895 as per assembly report and SECC 2011 reflects 8292 legally released bonded labour in Odisha (10,000)

5. Response of the Govt.
Initiatives of Odisha Building and Other Construction Welfare Board-inclusion of brick kiln migrant labourers
Enhancing wage under MGNREGA and additional wage work during drought period
Seasonal hostel for migrant children
Rastriya Swasthya Bima Yojana for labourers and migrants
Tripartite MoU for welfare and rights of interstate migrant labourers
Introducing Toll free number for migrant workers
Dept. of Panchayatiraj initiative to curb distress migration-Provision of funds identification &tracking, enforcement, rescue and welfare measure of interstate migrants in 11 districts
Recent declaration(17th Sept, 2016) on setting help desk for interstate Odia migrant labourers in 4 destination states

6. Key recommendations:
Comprehensive census and mapping of unorganised, informal and disguised workers in Odisha
Policy to make agriculture sector remunerative and employable. Need to retain more rural workers into agriculture sector
Set up Welfare Board for non construction workers and create welfare fund (fish worker, agriculture workers, forest workers, domestic worker)etc
Policy to stop disguise and distress migration; initiate inter-state MOUs for non exploitative labour and social security.

7. Registration and monitoring of labour contractor/placement agency for both domestic and international migrant workers.
Set up special labour cell for grievance redress of migrant workers
Revive MGNREGA, streamline its deliverable, allocate higher budget, enhance wages, increase workdays and improve MGNREGA governance.
Policy to promote both continuing education and skill promotion. Set up panchayat/block level skill development centre, make job placement accountable, dignified and non exploitative.

8. Thank you very much
Umi Daniel, Aide et Action, South Asia