289 migrant workers from Odisha died in last 5 years: Minister

Bhubaneswar, Sep 23 (PTI) Two hundred and eighty-nine migrant labourers from Odisha died while working outside the state during the last five years, Labour and Employees' State Insurance minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia told the Assembly on Tuesday.

While replying to a query of BJD legislator Ananta Narayan Jena, the minister said the migrant workers from Odisha died during the period 2021 to 2025 (till August).

As per the statement of the minister, death of 14 migrant labourers were reported in 2021, which rose to 31 in 2022, 42 in 2023 and further to 120 in the year 2024. Similarly, 82 migrant labourers died till August of the current calendar year, he said.

The government has rescued a total of 5,612 distressed migrant workers from other states during the period, he said.

The minister further said that 785 migrant workers from Odisha were rescued in the year 2021, while the number went up to 1,196 in 2022 and 1,639 in the next year. Besides, the state government has rescued 1,055 and 937 migrant workers in 2024 and the current year (till August).

Singkhuntia, in his statement, informed the House that the government had issued licenses to 1,037 contractors for employment of 70,142 migrant workers from Odisha in 2024. The licenses were issued as per provision made under the inter-state Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979, he stated.

In 2025 (till August), 217 licenses were issued for migration of 11,051 workers from Odisha, he stated.

In another reply to the Assembly, the Labour minister said the Odisha government has set up a high-level task force under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo for taking steps towards the reduction of distress migration and mitigate the sufferings of inter-state migrant workmen in Odisha. The task force has concluded three meetings with different stakeholders for further course of action.

A database of 1,09,091 migrant workers has been prepared after a survey by the National Law University in 474 GPs of 20 migration prone blocks in Bolangir, Bargarh, Kalahandi and Nuapada districts.

Survey of another 225 GPs in the districts of Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada and Nabarangpur is in progress, he said.

Similarly, the "One Nation One Ration Card" initiative is also implemented in Odisha so that the beneficiaries can access subsidised food grains from any fair price shop using their ration card with Aadhaar authentication," the minister said.

In view of private buses carrying the migrant workers to other states, the district collectors and Superintendents of Police of 14 migration-prone districts have been instructed to initiate regular checks and raids to curb illegal drafting of migrant workers, Singhkhuntia said.

The labour officers of the above districts also have been directed to remain alert with close watch in railway stations and bus stands, etc. In the year 2024-25, 132 inspections under the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (RE&CS) Act, 1979, have been conducted, he added. PTI BBM BBM RG