Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo inaugurated the Mobile Migrant Resource Centre and a mobile van at Krushi Bhavan.
Odisha’s first Mobile Migrant Resource Centre has been started with the collaboration of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Department of the Government of Odisha, supported by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and with the support of the United Nations Migrant Multi-Partner Trust Fund(MMTF).
This initiative aims to create a strong awareness in the 5 migrant-prone blocks of Ganjam and Kendrapara.
On the occasion, Singh Deo, Deputy Chief Minister and Chairman of the high-level Task Force committee that has been formed to help migrant workers, said that currently, the Odisha government is taking various livelihood development programmes and skill development, employment-generating initiatives for women, youth, and returning migrants. Our efforts have started to make them self-reliant by providing employment in their areas. Today’s mobile migrant resource centre will help to curb distressed migration and raise awareness of it. For this, a toll-free migration resources centre helpline no. – 1800-345-7885 has been issued by the government. Migrants can dial this number in any emergency or to get information.
“This mobile resources centre will serve as a reliable and replicable model for the state. It will support potential migrants and help develop a structured framework for helping migrants and frame sustainable solutions to migration challenges”, said Principal Administrative Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment Department, Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee.
In the inaugural program, Labour Commissioner Indramani Tripathi, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Protector of Emigrants, Sunil Shah, Additional Secretary, Agriculture, Subhranshu Mishra, Dr. Sangram Keshari Pattanaik, Jt. Director of Agriculture and Nagendra Mallik, Asst. Director of Agriculture from Climate Resilience Cell, Shri Amit Chaudhary, Ankita Surabhi, Nabanita, Rutumbhara Priyadarshini from United Nations International Organisation for Migration, officials from the Department of Labour and Employees’ State Insurance, FAO, WASAN, and SMRC were present.
