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Migration is a common
phenomenon throughout the globe. It is a continuing process since the
beginning of the human civilization. Migration is primarily an economic
phenomenon. However very few systematic works have been done so far.
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Garhwa is a district characterized by
a high percentage of poor and landless families. The recurrent drought
and famine have resulted in large scale migration to the neighbouring
states of Bihar, UP and Chatisgarh. Ultimately it is food security
that lies at the heart of all. The whole family comprising women and
children along with the male head of the family migrate to the
different states at different period of time.
It is the women who have to bear the brunt of all. They comprise the
majority of the population below the poverty line and are very often
in situations of extreme poverty, given the harsh realities of
intra-household and social discrimination.
Economic policies and poverty eradication programmes have not been
able to address the needs and problems of such women.
There still exists a wide gap between the goals enunciated in the
Constitution, legislation, policies, plans, programmes, and related
mechanisms on the one hand and the situational reality of the status
of women in the region, on the other. |
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 Migration is a positive opportunity to earn higher incomes. But not in
this region where survival is at stake. This is the region where most
of the migrants leave their village for distress reasons.
The migration is so deep rooted in the region that the entire villages
gives a deserted look during the lean period of the year. The villages
are abandoned and homes locked up, as people migrate to cities or the
neighbouring states in search of work.
The place where they migrate too is not very congenial. It is very
exploitative conditions where they work. Be it paddy field or
construction site, same conditions prevails. The migrants have to
willingly accept a lower wage at the hand of the agents that take them
in hoard. The cost of migration includes transport cost, uncertain
earnings, health hazards and higher cost of living (in urban areas)
combined with poor living conditions.
Migration also results in a breakdown of social life: this is true
both in the case of men migrating alone and when entire families
migrate. When entire families migrate the situation is even worse:
children have to be removed from schools and live in precarious
environments. Women and young girls are especially vulnerable to
sexual exploitation. Further, urban congestion is a cost of migration
that is borne by society at large.
Migrant workers have no access to subsidized grain at their
destinations and spend a sizeable proportion of their wages on basic
food supplies. Probably the most serious cost of migration is
children’s schooling. When entire families migrate, children are
unable to enroll in schools.
Moreover the seasonal migration is often debt induced. The agents
often provide a wage advance to the migrants. |
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Food Security
Scheme (FSS) |
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This scheme
has been designed to cater to the needs of the poorest of
the poor women in times of distress like drought or natural
disaster, death or disease of the bread earner in the
family. The target group for the FSS is women SHG. Each such
group is encouraged to nominate 2-3 persons to manage its
affairs. Each member makes an annual 'deposit' of 5 kg of
foodgrains into the bank to be maintained by the SHG. This
deposit entitles the family to withdraw upto 10 times the
quantity deposited. Thus the total entitlement of each
family to draw from the food bank would be 50 kg. However,
at any given time, even a 1kg deposit would entitle the
family to withdraw upto10 kg of foodgrains. The members of
the SHG will have the option to repay the grain loan in kind
or its cash equivalent.
See case study |
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The illiterate and under-informed migrants encounter difficulties in
accessing provisions that have been made for them by the State .There
appears to be a need for support from elsewhere. At this juncture AID has
taken up the cause of building the capacity of migrants to demand their
rights from contractors and government officials. Migrant forums have been
created in the project region that takes up the case of poor migrant family
and fight for the justice.
See case study
The aim of AID is to strengthen legal systems and linking the poor through
various developmental schemes aimed at elimination of all forms of
discrimination against women. The formations of self help group (SHG) have
helped in giving decision making of women in social and economic life in
their region.
See case study
The Migration Resource Centers have been started under information centers
in the project area. The information centers are located at cluster or
panchayat level. Migration forums formed help in raising
voice of the
voiceless.
This year more than 200 migrant families have managed to get benefit under
different government schemes in Bhawnathpur, Ramuna, Dhurki and Meral Blocks
of Garhwa.
See case study
Revolving funds have been provided to SHGs
for fodder and seed bank. People especially women are given vocational
guidance.
With the initiation of the project in the Garhwa region there has been
remarkable change in societal attitudes and community practices by active
participation and involvement of both men and women.
See case study
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Grant-in-aid
Scheme |
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Grant-in-aid
Scheme for the welfare of women labour is administered through
voluntary organisations by giving grant-in-aid to them for
providing skill training and awareness generation amongst
women workers with a view to enhance their skills and make
them self-sufficient. |
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Inter-State
Migrant Workman |
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Any person
who is recruited by or through a contractor in one state under
an agreement or other arrangement for employment in an
establishment in another state whether with or without the
knowledge of the Principle employer is a inner state migrant
workman. |
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If one were to look at the
core issues which affect the quality of life for the majority population
in our newly formed state of Jharkhand, it is the issue of food security
and employment.
Poverty is the major cause of migration added with the recurrent drought
that affects the region. The personal choice to migrate is not a product
of individual freedom. The choice to migrate is often the only option that
they possess for survival. The decision is a reflection of lack of choice
rather than freedom of opportunity.
The constant motion and insecurity of employment reduces their ability and
inclination to unionise. They cannot even enhance their bargaining
positions for fear of instant dismissal. Migrant women and her family are
the worst affected. They belong to a category of “family in Difficult
Circumstances”.
Despite several programmes for the development none are strictly followed.
The policy therefore should have been in favour of strict implementation
of programs to reduce regional development imbalances, minimum wage
regulation and right to work. For example, employment assurance schemes
like the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programe(NREGP) has the
enormous potential for checking migration, provided the programme is
implemented in spirit.
Distress migration has enormous personal and social costs. At this point
the NREGP is a unique opportunity to protect people from these hardships.
Garhwa region is characterized by dried-up water resources and
ill-implemented irrigation projects. It has only one harvest a year and
people eagerly await a good monsoon. During the rest of the year, the
people including women and children are forced into daily wage labour in
paddy fields, quarries and civil works where conditions of work are
inhuman. There are also grave violations of human rights, sexual and
otherwise. Seasonal migration in search of occupation has become rampant.
The situation becomes particularly acute during drought. At this stage it
becomes important that the district collectors should have taken up
drought relief works on a war footing and initiated steps to stop
migration of poor. He should be totally responsible for mitigating
sufferings of people in the drought hit districts.
The food insecurity places the poor pleading with the contractors merely
to eke out living. Poor men and women wait to be picked up for odd-jobs on
a daily wage. Such are the sight at the vicinity of Garhwa and Daltonganj
towns where people flock for short employment.
Migration today has become an urgent crisis in the districts of Palamau
and Garhwa. Hence it is imperative to implement policy options to
alleviate the situation for the short and long term.
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