A snapshot of distress migration in Odisha
A significant challenge for the special task force will be the lack of robust data
An estimated 1.75 million people moved from Odisha to other States in 2023, many of them driven by distress and desperation. Last month, the Odisha government set up a special task force to look into distress migration, which is defined by the World Bank as involuntary movement due to poverty or disasters. The task force aims to provide recommendations and targeted intervention measures, including infrastructure improvement and department-specific schemes.

Distress migration usually occurs in conditions where the individual or household is left with no viable means to maintain a life with dignity other than to migrate. This could be due to extreme economic deprivation, natural and environmental disasters, or even intolerable social and gender discrimination. In Odisha, the agricultural sector, which is central to the economy, faces multiple challenges, including landlessness, small landholdings, heavy reliance on rain-fed farming, and extreme weather events. These push people, particularly the vulnerable rural population, such as women, the elderly, children and those from backward groups, to migrate.