Understanding Migration Drivers for Targeted Policy Interventions

Odisha experiences diverse migration patterns that present complex policy challenges. Distress migration is particularly acute in western districts with seasonal workers moving to brick kilns, construction sites, and textile mills across neighbouring states. Climate-induced displacement has also emerged as a growing concern, with coastal regions experiencing increased migration after major cyclones. There is also rising migration of skilled blue-collar workers to other states and countries seeking better job opportunities. Addressing the root causes of distress migration, and protecting the rights and welfare of migrants and their families is a policy priority for the state government in Odisha.

DPIC is developing an innovative analytical framework to study migration patterns and inform evidence-based interventions to reduce distress migration. This initiative brings together multiple stakeholders, including the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, the Labour & ESI Department, and the recently established high-level government taskforce on migration, to generate insights that can guide targeted interventions. The project benefits from research collaboration with the University of Warwick, whose work on brick kiln workers in western Odisha has already yielded valuable insights into the nature of distress migration, family migration patterns, and the role of intermediaries in informal labour markets. The government’s substantial investment in the provision of public infrastructure and basic services via the Gramodaya program across 583 villages in migration-prone regions in western Odisha further demonstrates a commitment to addressing the root causes of vulnerable migration.

DPIC’s approach integrates diverse data sources to create a comprehensive understanding of economic vulnerability and migration dynamics. DPIC is working to analyse and interlink high-value government datasets, including Gramodaya survey data, the Social Protection Delivery Platform (SPDP) and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) implementation data with well-designed field surveys to fill critical knowledge gaps. This data integration effort examines both “push” and “pull” factors driving migration. The analytical framework being developed will enable policymakers to identify geographical areas with high migration vulnerability and understand the complex interplay of factors influencing migration decisions.

This work represents the beginning of a transformative approach to migration governance in Odisha. By advancing our understanding of migration patterns across Odisha—from distress migration to climate-induced displacement—this initiative can help design targeted interventions that address specific regional contexts. These evidence-based approaches have the potential not just to mitigate vulnerabilities associated with distress migration but to harness migration’s potential as a pathway to economic mobility and resilience for Odisha’s communities, particularly in the western regions most affected by seasonal outflows.