BHADRAK: Migration is no longer confined to KBK region. The search for better life and livelihood has had thousands of people of Bhadrak district migrate to various states. The exodus has reached an alarming rate despite the State Government’s tall claims of successful implementation of rural job guarantee scheme.According to a survey, as many as 1.5 lakh people from the district have so far migrated to Gujarat, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Delhi. There are about 14 lakh people living in 193 panchayats under seven blocks of the district. The report compiled by a non-government agency said while the highest around 40,000 people have migrated to Surat and Ahmedabad in Gujarat, 25,000 have migrated to Hyderabad and Secunderabad in Andhra Pradesh, followed by 12,000 to Bangaluru, 25,000 each to Mumbai and Kolkata and another 15,000 each to Chennai and Delhi.Among the migrated populace, most are youths below 25 years of age. They are mostly school and college dropouts having failed to continue studies, courtesy poor economic condition of their families. In the absence of work opportunities in the village, the youths prefer to migrate to eke out a living, the report stated. The phenomenon has become rampant in Tihidi, Chandabali, Dhamnagar, Bhandaripokhari, Bont, Basudevpur, Dhamra, Chudamani and Agarpada areas. Social activist Rabindra Behera said most people of flood-prone areas in the district migrate to the neighbouring states for livelihood. Except for the four months during paddy season, the youths in the region are mostly jobless all year round. “They have little choice. Moreover, they are not interested in the Government’s employment guarantee scheme of 100 days of work,” he pointed out.Official records too pointed at vagaries of nature and its impact on agricultural production. While paddy was being cultivated in around 2 lakh hectares earlier, it has now come down to 1.5 lakh hectares. Similarly, production of vegetables, pulses and fibres has been affected due to regular floods.The labour officials, however, said there was no estimation as to how many persons have migrated till now. District labour officer Bighnaraj Mohanta Mohapatra said officially about 400 labourers under 10 labour contractors are working outside the State. He, however, confirmed that people are migrating to other states. “Better opportunities and wages beckon them. The attraction for metro life is another major reason for migration,” he added.
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