Bhubaneswar: One of the greatest issues during the initial lockdown period in the country was to manage the millions of migrants who were crisscrossing the highways in order to reach their homes. Odisha being a home to a sizable number of migrants was also affected. Odisha Government’s proactive steps ensured that the homebound labourers are taken care of at every stage and reach safely. The enormous experience of managing the natural disasters that dot the coastline every now and then, has taught the State government of Odisha the lessons on how to manage a large number of people in short notice of time. It helped it in managing the humanitarian crisis in hand.
The restrictions imposed on movement of buses and trains forced the migrants to take on to roads. The lockdown in India resulted in one of the largest migration of working class from the urban areas to the villages. While official estimates show that about 75 lakh migrants have returned to their homes, nonofficial sources estimate the figure to be four to five times of this. A vast number of migrants took to the highways to return to their homes walking. People have travelled more than 2000 kilometers by walking. The mass exodus of migrant people was never seen in the country. Families were seen on the road walking barefoot without any food and rest.
Odisha, which shares its borders with West Bengal, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh, saw a large number of people entering into the state by walking to reach their destinations in these bordering states. They were walking all the way hundreds of kilometers on the highways with families that included children and old age persons. The plight of migrants walking on the roads moved the administration to take immediate steps in Odisha. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik ordered for immediate intervention into the issue and directed officials to take care of the people walking on the roads. Naveen directed the administration that not a single person will walk on the roads. They will be provided all help to reach their destinations. This step by the government ensured that all the migrants walking on the roads were facilitated with food and travel till the respective state borders. The government arranged large number of buses to transport these migrants and helped them tide over the crisis.
Odisha Police played a vital role in this and arranged for the transportation of these migrant people. More than 25 thousand people were transported to inter-state borders with special buses. Odisha police set up camps at all major border check posts including Jamsola, Sohiela, Girisola, Motu, and Kerada to receive the migrants and facilitate their return. It also provided shelter and food to the needy. District administrations proactively participated in the efforts and facilitated all requirements.
Justifying the second edition of the statewide lockdown till April 30, 2020, to continue with the long drawn war against COVID-19, CM Naveen Patnaik observed that his government is committed to accord more importance to human life than economy. His emphasis on life, livelihood and living has been appreciated by one and all.
Due to his suggestions during the Prime Minister’s meeting with the Chief Ministers, Sramik Special trains were run to bring back migrant labourers, students, pilgrims and those who were stranded due to sudden lockdown back to their states. In his governance ethics humanism stands out unmistakably. He has crafted a new language of governance: Government of Life
The biggest challenge for the government of Odisha was the millions of migrant Odias working in states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamilnadu. The government estimated that about 5 lakh people will return to Odisha due to the lockdown and they have to be facilitated. The foresight of Naveen’s government about the plight of the migrant workers led to setting up of isolation centers in each and every Panchayat. Facilities were made for keeping the returning migrants in isolation with dignity. The government also made provisions for safely bringing the migrant workers and appointed nodal officers in various states to coordinate. It worked well and today more than 20 thousand migrants are back home and are staying in designated quarantine centers. The lockdown was justified as it was for protecting life over livelihood for some time as a part of defending Right to Life as enshrined in the Constitution of India. For saving lives, we have to take some tough decisions.
The Odisha government acted proactively and made facilities for providing all essentials for the people returning into the state and staying in the quarantine centers. Starting with a personal hygiene kit to healthy fooding, the centers are giving the inmates an opportunity to learn the life lessons. These centers have transformed into community institutions and are helping sustain lives in this critical time.
Naveen’s decision to help the lakhs of migrant workers from other states has a human touch without any compulsion. The people living in other states are an integral part of the state and they need to be protected at this time of need. It is with this motto that the administration has facilitated the return of people and more than 5 lakh people are expected to return back to the state. The meticulously planned process has been successful as all the returnees are safely staying in the state quarantine centers.
There are apprehensions in some quarters that the government has taken a wrong decision by facilitating the return of the migrants and setting up of quarantine centers in Panchayat levels will aggravate the condition in the state. But in fact this is totally absurd. If the government had not made such an effort, people would have returned illegally and there would not have been any proper action. The situation would have been very difficult to contain. There has to be free large-scale testing and hospitalization, provision for essentials of life which would not have possible, had these migrant Odia labourers left without any help. Like a true leader, in spite of the criticism by some sections of people, Naveen Patnaik came forward and took early steps to bring them back to the state. Today the migrants are happy to be in their home state. The efforts by the state government led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik are for a dignified life which should be the right of every citizen in a democratic country.
While the country was reeling under the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of Coronavirus, the livelihood of millions of people across the country crippled. It brought misery to the working class especially the migrants who were working far away from their homes. The poor and needy both in the urban and rural areas have been suffering due to the lockdown and are in need of help.
At this critical juncture, Odisha Mo Parivar, the social service initiative of the Biju Janata Dal took onto itself to serve the needy. Inspired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s call for helping the needy and led by its Convener Arup Patnaik, the members of Odisha Mo Parivar helped the deprived in various districts of the state. Starting from cooked food to dry ration, the members are providing the essentials to the needy ever since the lockdown has started.
Odisha Mo Parivar opened camps to help the migrants and poor people and Arup Patnaik has been on a whirlwind visit to the camps to coordinate the initiative. In association with the local Biju Janata Dal workers and leaders, Mo Parivar has delivered essential items to more than one lakh persons till date. Starting From Malkanagiri, Arup has already visited Nabarangpur, Koraput, Bargarh, Bolangir, Sundergarh, Sambalpur, Ganjam districts. In Sambalpur, an assistance camp was inaugurated for the migrants by Mo Paribar which will provide necessary help along with boarding, fooding, medical and other facilities to them. Convener Arup Patnaik along with BJD leaders Nalini Kanta Pradhan, District BJD President Siddharth Das and others were present. In Ganjam, Odisha Mo Paribar organised a mega help camp for the needy in which Member of Parliament Chandrasekhar Sahu, MLAs Latika Pradhan, Bikram Chandra Panda and other senior leaders were also present.
Odisha Government’s thrust on rural economy during the pandemic needs to be emulated by others. The Coronavirus Pandemic has left the world economy in shambles and the most impacted ones are the third world countries that have started experiencing a contraction in their financial system. The unprecedented lockdown in all most all countries of the world left millions of people without work and the productivity has been in the negative. India, being one of the highly impacted countries by the global pandemic, was shutdown for nearly two and a half months. The impact of the total shutdown has resulted in the economy facing one of the biggest challenges in its history.
The predominantly services and manufacturing economy of India is in standstill mode and looking at a bleak future as the pandemic is in no mood to reverse. Though the country has started opening slowly from the shutdown, the damage has been done and the impact would be of long term. The manufacturing sector which contributes a major share to the Indian economy has been closed for more than 60 days and in the coming days also there will be tapered revival in the sector. As the demand has decreased, there is less chance for growth in the coming days. Likewise, the services sector has also been impacted by the Pandemic. The services sector which is the largest contributor to the Indian economy employs largest number of people in India. The shutdown has crippled the total ecosystem of the services sector and left millions of people jobless.
Odisha’s economy, which is mainly based on the mining and agriculture sectors, can help in the revival of the economy by specific interventions. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced a package of 17 thousand crores for sustaining livelihoods in the rural areas. This is going to have a positive impact and its trickle down impact will be on the overall economy.
Creating rural economy through various government sponsored programs can engage the manpower that returned from the cities and is now idle. It can generate mandays for the needy and create sustainable infrastructure such as roads, school buildings, agriculture land, irrigation facilities etc. The government can also ensure that the people engaged in the handlooms and handicrafts sectors are given the stimulus to carry on their production based activities so that the rural economic chain continues uninterrupted.
One aspect where Odisha has an edge over other states of the country is its robust SHG network in which more than 70 lakh women are involved. Any livelihood intervention can not ignore this biggest asset. The SHGs can be harbingers in reviving the economy through production of daily needs and using locally available raw materials.
More than 75 percent of Odisha’s population is directly or indirectly related to agriculture and the farm sector. Small scale agri based industries with focus on food processing will be able to provide livelihoods to a large number of people. People returning from other states with skills can be employed in these industries with little training and skill development. The contribution of farm sector to Odisha’s economy is about 30 percent which can grow in these difficult times with government intervention.
As the migrants who have returned to Odisha not expected to return back to the cities anytime soon, they can be involved in all these rural economy based industries for the medium term and they can be provided with financial assistance for setting up of new enterprises. Odisha, which has already initiated an important intervention through 17 thousand crore package is in a good position as a fast mover. In the coming days, the efforts will bring the required results which can be replicated throughput the country.
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