Bhubaneswar: Migration in Odisha is increasingly being recognised not merely as a labour-market phenomenon but as a critical driver of social development, wellbeing and balanced regional growth. This evolving perspective took centre stage at a one-day seminar organised by the Nabakrushna Choudhury Centre for Development Studies (NCDS), Bhubaneswar, on “Regional Differences in Migration Pattern, Adaptation Behaviour and Wellbeing in Odisha”.
Held under the guidance of Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary and Chairperson of NCDS, Anu Garg, the seminar brought together senior government officials, eminent scholars and researchers to deliberate on evidence-based and inclusive migration policies.
Labour Commissioner of Odisha Indramani Tripathy, Prof. S. Irudaya Rajan, Chairman of the International Institute of Migration and Development and former professor at the Centre for Development Studies, Kerala, and Prof. Udaya Shankar Mishra from the International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, participated as key dignitaries and speakers, sharing policy-oriented insights on addressing regional disparities in migration and improving migrant wellbeing.
Welcoming the participants, NCDS Director Prakash Chandra Mohanty underscored the transformative role of evidence-driven research in policymaking. Referring to a comprehensive survey covering more than 650 households across Odisha, he said the study captures significant regional variations in migration patterns, adaptation strategies and wellbeing outcomes. Mohanty stressed that migration should not be viewed as a problem to be addressed, but as an opportunity to enhance social security, empower families and improve quality of life. He also drew attention to the often-overlooked challenges faced by children and elderly persons left behind, describing forced migration as a structural issue that demands human-centred and region-specific policy responses.
The highlight of the seminar was the presentation by Dr. Sandhya Rani Mahapatro, Project Director and Associate Professor at NCDS, whose research reframes migration as a multidimensional wellbeing issue. Moving beyond conventional economic analyses, her study explores the social, emotional and health dimensions of migration. Drawing on field-level evidence, Dr. Mahapatro demonstrated how migrants and their families show remarkable resilience and adaptability, while remaining vulnerable in the absence of adequate institutional support. She emphasised that targeted interventions in social security, housing, healthcare and livelihoods have the potential to generate transformative outcomes for both migrants and their source communities.
Describing migration as a narrative of resilience, adaptation and opportunity, Dr. Mahapatro highlighted stark regional inequalities in migration trajectories across Odisha. She argued for migrant-sensitive policies tailored to local contexts and realities. The forthcoming report, to be submitted to the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and the Odisha government, is expected to offer practical guidance for policymakers to ensure that migration strengthens communities rather than placing additional strain on them.
From an implementation standpoint, Labour Commissioner Indramani Tripathy outlined Odisha’s proactive initiatives to make migration safer and more rewarding. He cited measures such as a toll-free migrant helpline (1800-345-6703), help desks in destination states, portability of welfare schemes and the development of a comprehensive migrant database. According to Tripathy, these initiatives are aimed at ensuring timely compensation, effective grievance redressal and access to social protection for migrant workers from the state.
Prof. S. Irudaya Rajan stressed the importance of robust and reliable data in shaping effective migration policies. Referring to Kerala’s pioneering migration surveys and Odisha’s large-scale household studies, he underlined the critical role of empirical evidence in guiding informed decision-making. Prof. Udaya Shankar Mishra added that migration is a mutually reinforcing process linking source and destination regions, driven simultaneously by distress and development, and that policies must reflect this dual character to unlock broader benefits.
The technical sessions in the afternoon broadened the discussion to include distress migration among indigenous communities, climate-induced mobility, corridor-specific inequalities and vulnerabilities in the informal sector. Scholars including Dr. Grace Bahalen Mundu, Dr. Baishali Goswami, Dr. Madhusudan Nag and Prof. Tara Nair shared their research findings, while officials from the Department of Labour and ESI provided updates on migrant welfare programmes, registration mechanisms and inter-state coordination efforts.
The seminar concluded with a forward-looking consensus that Odisha has a unique opportunity to lead by example in transforming migration into a vehicle for inclusive growth, resilience and social wellbeing. The research presented, particularly by Dr. Sandhya Mahapatro, offered practical and actionable insights, reinforcing the idea that with data-driven, people-centric policies, migration can enhance livelihoods, strengthen communities and ensure that no one is left behind.
