The presentation deals with the economic forced migrants in Kandhamal district of Odisha.

1. Economic forced migrants and
challenges among the tribal youths in
Kandhamal district of Odisha
National Seminar on Anthropology and human development: Issues and challenges,
7th – 8th March 2013, University of Pune
Madhulika Sahoo
madhulika.sahoo@hotmail.co.uk
Senior Research Fellow
Anthropological Survey of India, Ministry of Culture
Govt. of India, Central Regional Centre, Nagpur

2. Economic forced Migration
Migration has been defined as crossing of the
boundary of a political or administrative unit
for a certain minimum period of time. It
includes the movement of refugees, displaced
persons, uprooted people as well as economic
migrants. Internal migration refers to a move
from one area (a province, district or
municipality) to another within one country(
Singh2010).

3. Migration in Odisha
• A key state for supply of migrant labours to various parts
of India to work in catering, hospitality, plumbing,
construction, textile, and other allied sectors.
• Low and variable agricultural production coupled with
lack of local employment opportunities
• Landlessness, poverty and marginalisation of the poor
people turns out to be the main cause of migration
• Internal conflicts and political unrest
• Remittance coming to the high migration district like,
Ganjam, Puri, Nayagarh, Khurda, Jagatsingpur,
Kendrapada

4. Types of migration
• Migration due to extreme poverty and
destitutions
• Opportunity migration for better wage and
livelihood
• Migration due to industrial and development
induced displacement
• Migration due to natural disasters and armed
conflict
• Migration due to human trafficking

5. Places of migration

6. Migration in Kandhmal
Kandhamal has witnessed large
scale forced migration of
people to the cities. Thousands
of riot effected people
reportedly migrated to
Bhubaneswar, Berhampur and
also moved to states like Kerala
after the riots and still large
numbers of people are yet to
return to their homes and living
under severe distress.

7. Migration to Kerela

8. Migration rate
Village name Block Number of Place of migration
youths migrated
Nadini Bastigia 20 Kerela
Lingibadi Bastigia 15 Kerela
Mundaga Bastigia 25 Kerela
Rupaga-Dadraga Bastigia 28 Kerela
Chahali Bastigia 30 Kerela
Pandrisima Bastigia 25 Kerela
Brahmanpada Bastigia 30 Kerela
Balaskumpa Khejuripada 20 Kerela
Khaliberega Khejuripada 20 Kerela
Breta Tikabali 40 Kerela
Gadingia TIkabali block 30 Kerela
Kantigia Tikabali Block 60 Kerela
Nuapada Phiringia block 19 Kerela
Kelapada Phiringia block 22 Kerela

9. Crossing border to Kerela
Peremba/
Alva Manguli
Ernakulam
Bherampur
Kandhamal

10. Pros and cons of migration
The Pros
• Better work culture
• Less hours of work 8 hrs
• Weekly paid Rs 2000-3000/-
• Housing facilities & one time travel allowance
• More companies and industries to employ
• Formation of Oriya Diaspora in Kerala,
attracting many from Kandhamal

11. The Cons
• Distance from culture & tradition
• Distance from family
• Breakage of kinship bond
• Short term migration leading to long term stay,
many prefer to stay in Kerala than coming back

12. Conclusion
• Irrespective of ideological interpretations of the
phenomenon of migration, it is an urgent crisis
for the Indian state. The alarming call of political
parties to curb migration on ethnic lines is a by-
product of the economic distress facing the
nation. Hence it is imperative to implement policy
options to alleviate the situation for the short and
long term.
• Migration was not included in the MDGs when
they were launched in 2000,it is now emerging
global agenda