The Chief Minister of Goa has announced a plan to establish a ‘State Migrant Workers Cell’, with an objective to record and assimilate information related to migrants in the coastal state. The project also attempts to reduce the crime rate in the territory. Also aimed at including the migrants in the net of government benefit schemes, the database would include parameters ranging from the socio-demographic information of the migrants to their relocation patterns.
State’s vision to provide aid to migrants during times of crisis
The Chief Minister mentioned that there were several lakh migrant workers in Goa but there was no specific information about their precise number with any state department. “Absence of data, support and coordination among source states leads to a lack of structured programmes to support these migrants. This leads to security issues and reduces the effective contribution of migrants to the Goa economy,” the chief minister added.
The cell would also record data relating to the native place of the migrants and the diversity of their skills. Additionally, it would determine the degree of incorporation of the migrants into the state’s social security system. These records would help the state government to include the migrants in the already existing list of beneficiaries who are advantaged by the state’s welfare schemes. During state and national emergencies, natural disasters and pandemics, the collected information would help the government in assuring aid to the migrant workers and their families.
Goa, a top choice among migrant workers
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With opportunities of earning higher incomes compared to other states, Goa attracts a considerable labour force from Jharkhand, Odisha, Karnataka, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, north-east states and Maharashtra. While migrant workers from Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh make up for the maximum share of settlers in the coastal state, an official report mentioned that migrants may outnumber the locals by 2021. Given the high number of migrants in the state, the chief minister’s decision would prove to be profitable for a lot of citizens.
