Malkangiri: Reverse migration of workers into Malkangiri has exponentially increased since Unlock-1 came into force. The Sileru bridge on the border of Andhra Pradesh has turned out to be a key facilitator for shifting of migrant workers from various parts of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, a report said.
It was learnt that with operation of vehicles and opening of sealed borders, over 1,000 migrant workers on an average return to Malkangiri in various mode of transport via this bridge on a daily basis.
Over 50,000 migrant workers have reportedly returned to the district. Over 2 lakh workers of Malkangiri are said to be working in South India.
Moreover, thousands of migrants have preferred the Sileru bridge route while returning to other districts such as Bolangir, Sambalpur, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Kalahandi, Nuapada and Sonepur. The administrations of these districts have made transportation facilities for the migrant workers to return from workplaces.
Significantly, this Sileru bridge route has been a convenient route for the returnees of other states like West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Officials of the district administration have camped at this bordering route and made arrangements of special buses for the returnees to their home states.
On the other hand, with influx of migrants, the district administration of Malkangiri, is dealing with a mammoth challenge – providing livelihood and income-generation activities to the daily wagers and those who have lost their jobs due to lockdown.
The state government laid stress on creating scope of income generation for the workers.
Officials have been asked to engage labourers in the projects being executed by the Road and the Buildings department, the Rural Development department, the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation department, the Horticulture department and in the projects pertaining to digging of farm ponds.