Odisha faces a persistent crisis of migrant laborers, with over 70,000 Odia workers leaving the state annually for work, as per a reply given by State Labour Minister Ganel Ram Chandra Khuntia.
In 2024, 70,360 workers migrated, a slight drop from 81,232 in 2023, yet the number of licensed workers remains negligible.
The situation is most critical in Balangir, which accounts for over 50,000 migrants yearly, with Nuapada district following. To tackle this, a high-level task force was formed in October 2024.
Measures include increasing MNREGA working days to 300 in affected areas, voluntary registration, and establishing a worker assistance helpline (18003456703).