ForumIAS announcing GS Foundation Program for UPSC CSE 2025-26 from 27th May. Click Here for more information.
Source: The post is based on the article “Look Deeper Into The Balasore Tragedy” published in The Times of India on 12th June 2023
Syllabus: GS 3 – Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Relevance: About making urban centres disable friendly.
News: Many of those who perished in the triple-train collision near Odisha’s Balasore, were migrant workers from West Bengal who were either heading to southern India to resume work or were travelling in search of jobs.
About the recent train accident and the issue of railway safety in India
| Must read: The Issue of Indian railway safety – Explained, pointwise |
About the Migrant workforce of India
Migrants were part of a 450-million workforce, contributing an estimated 10% to India’s GDP. According to the Census of India, 33 million people migrated for employment-related reasons in 2001, which further increased to 51 million in 2011.
A 2013 survey conducted by Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation shows 50.6% of Bengaluru’s population comprises migrants. Similarly, 62% of the entire 2. 5 million migrant population of Kerala is accounted for by just four states – Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Assam, with Bengal alone accounting for 20%.
Why there is an increased migration to southern India?
According to the Census of India (2011), between 2001 and 2011, nearly 5.8 lakh people migrated from Bengal to other states in search of work, with a large number moving to various cities and towns in southern India in view of the higher daily wages. For example, a bricklayer earns ₹1,200 a day in Kerala, the same job would fetch around ₹450 in rural Bengal.
According to the 2017 Economic Survey, Delhi, Maharashtra and Gujarat attracted a large number of migrants, mostly from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. A large number of these workers are employed in unorganised sectors.
| Must read: Migrant workers and their Social protection in India – Explained, pointwise |
So, the state governments should increase their ability to provide enough job opportunities to their domiciled resident.
