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289 Odisha migrant labourers die outside state over last five years: Minister

Published By : admin | September 23, 2025 3:27 PM
289 Odisha migrant labourers die outside state over last five years: Minister

Bhubaneswar, Sep 23: Over the past five years, 289 migrant labourers from Odisha have died while working outside the state, Labour and Employees' State Insurance Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia informed the Assembly on Tuesday.

Responding to a question from BJD legislator Ananta Narayan Jena, the minister provided a year-wise breakdown of these deaths, which occurred between 2021 and August 2025. Fourteen deaths were reported in 2021, rising to 31 in 2022, 42 in 2023, 120 in 2024, and 82 so far this year.

Singhkhuntia also highlighted the government’s efforts to rescue distressed migrant workers from other states, with a total of 5,612 rescues over the period. Specifically, 785 workers were rescued in 2021, 1,196 in 2022, 1,639 in 2023, followed by 1,055 in 2024, and 937 in the current year until August.

Regarding employment regulation, the minister stated that in 2024, the government issued licenses to 1,037 contractors, allowing the migration of 70,142 workers under the provisions of the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979. Up to August 2025, 217 licenses have been granted for 11,051 migrant workers.

Singhkhuntia also informed about the formation of a high-level task force, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister K.V. Singh Deo, aimed at reducing distress migration and addressing the hardships faced by inter-state migrant workers. The task force has already held three meetings with key stakeholders to plan future actions.

A comprehensive database of 1,09,091 migrant workers has been compiled following a survey conducted by the National Law University in 474 Gram Panchayats across 20 migration-prone blocks in Bolangir, Bargarh, Kalahandi, and Nuapada districts. A similar survey covering 225 Gram Panchayats in Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada, and Nabarangpur districts is ongoing.

The minister also pointed out that Odisha has implemented the "One Nation One Ration Card" scheme, enabling beneficiaries to access subsidised food grains from any fair price shop nationwide through Aadhaar-linked ration cards.