Roundtable From Distressed Migration to Aspirational Migration Pathways for Action: Need for Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration 11th September 2024 (IGFP No-2024-34)

Thanks, Mail

Dear Collectors, Bolangir/ Gajapati/ Koraput,
May I take this opportunity to thank you for deputing ALC Mr.Chinmaya Kumar Shau,Koraput / Mr.Binod Bihari Naik, ALO, Bolangir / Mr.Anil Kumar Biswal,ALO,Gumma
Gajapati for Roundtable Discussion on Distressed Migration from Odisha Who exhibited
enthusiasm & Sharing their Distrct Perspective held on 11th September 2024 Hosted by CYSD under the Leadership of Mr Jagadananda along with My Organization IGFP.

With CYSD opening the Discussion with the theme ” From Distressed Migration to Aspirational Migration- Challenges to Solutions ” Followed by Presentation by IGFP/ Mr Daniel Umi of Aide et Action/ Prof Rajan Irudium of IIMD/ Dr Ashok Sahu of Former SG, NHRC & LEA, MOLE/ Mr Nirmal Ch. Mohanty of Gram Vikas / Mr Arun Kumar Ray Former DLO from Sambalpur joined by CYSD Presentation & Madam Jetamitra Satapathy from WSC Bhubaneswar.

We are grateful to Mr R. S Gopalan IAS CEC Odisha for his Inaugural Speech – setting the
Deliberation issues Mr Jagadananda Mentor Founder of CYSD will be sending the summary of proceedings/ Takeaways to Labour Department of Odisha & to All Participants ASAP
IGFP is privileged to share the Concept Note / Presentations as available with Us / Few Photos with Hope that Regulators of Govt of Odisha/ District Administration will take appropriate action on our recommend to ensure Dignity / Decency/ involving Safety Health Social Security with Labour Laws as applicable to Migrant workers to bring change from Distressed to Aspirational Migration in Odisha with support of Destination States & Civil society in general.

Summary of Takeaways

Proper implementation of Labour Laws with Focus on Enforcement with Human Touch & Awareness Capacity Building programs @ Panchayat Level should bring Distressed to Aspirational Migration in the State Invitation was sent to LC & His Team to join the Discussion but may be due to their preoccupation- could not join.
Total Participants -28 Individuals 11 Institutions

Concept Note

Indo German Focal Point (IGFP)with the support of other stakeholders proposes to Labour
Commissioner to hold one-day Round Table Conference/ Discussion at Bhubaneswar (Odisha) in August/September, 2024. The Workshop will deal with (a) Occupational Safety & Health (OSH), Social Security (SS) and other important issues relating to Distressed Migrant Workers (DMWs) in the forenoon session and (b) broadly with the same issues relating to Stand Alone Construction Workers (SACWs) in the afternoon session. The latter in addition will cover a capsule Each on “Climatetic Effect on workers/ workplace “&on ‘Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in promoting OSH’.

While national issues will be discussed in the Workshop, the focus will be on the prevalent situation in Odisha. The Concept Note on (b) will be circulated separately. Present Concept Note deals with (a). Migration of workers, per se, is beneficial as it helps in bridging the gap between the demand and supply of different categories of labour across the country, even globally. But there are two types of migrants, namely, benign migrants who move out for economic upliftment and distressed migrants for whom migration is the conduit for basic survival.

The Workshop will deal only with DMWs, who are also known ‘Dadan’ labour in Odisha. We may use both the terms DMWs and Dadan interchangeably. Even though DMWs prevail in various parts of the country Dadan in Odisha is looked down upon as an underclass, which is not appropriate.

The Workshop will deal with the causes, consequences, remedial measures action being taken for DMWs and a blueprint for ameliorating their economic and social lot in future, keeping in view the deprivation suffered by them during Covid-19 period. An important issue relating to DMWs is their indebtedness, which assumes the form of neo- bondage, which needs to be highlighted.

So far as the legal aspect is concerned, there is the Orissa Dadan Labour (Control and Regulation) Act, 1975 and the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1973 which will get subsumed in the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.

It may be noted that the DMWs can also derive benefits from various other labour and welfare-related legislations like the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 etc. which will also get subsumed into different Codes.

So the legal backup is in a nebulous condition but its nuances will also be discussed.
The panelists are expected to include domain experts, Government representatives form Home (like Odisha) and Host (like Karnataka) States including those functioning at District level, political representatives, trade unions etc.

The logistics including date, venue, panelists, participants, itinerary etc. will be decided by CYSD & taking support of LC & State Labour Institute, Odisha & IGFP will support with International Speakers & Coordinate for National Level Professional to Chair Technical Sessions/ Speaker.

Prepared by IGFP with support of Dr. Ashok Sahu, IES (Retd.) Former Secretary General, NHRC & LEA, MOLE & Mr. Parth Pratim Mitra, IES(Retd.)Former Principal LEA, MOLE