The COVID-19-Led Reverse Migration on Labour Supply in Rural Economy: Challenges, Opportunities and Road Ahead in Odisha

Abstract

Migration is a bigger option for earning and livelihood in Odisha either for push factors or pull factors, for which people move to other states in search of work and better wages. But COVID-19 emerged as a crippling blow for which huge reverse migration is being noticed in the state. So the study tried to investigate labour supply and employment opportunity in rural areas due to COVID-19-led reverse migration and to examine the impact of COVID-19 on employment status, income profile and livelihood of returned migrants in Odisha. The study also discusses the possible measures to create alternative livelihood by rebuilding the rural economy after COVID-19. Both secondary and primary data are used in the study. Descriptive statistics and regression model are used in the study to examine the vulnerability of migrants during the period of COVID-19. The study found a sudden rise in labour supply with a huge scale is catch sight of the rural economy of Odisha. Job loss is the biggest problem faced by migrants followed by income loss. The study found that income of migrants, household income excluding migrants and nature of work have significant impact on the vulnerability of migrants. JEL Classification Codes: J21, J22, J46

Unfolding the Impact of COVID-19 on Reverse Migrants in Uttar Pradesh

“…In context with semi-skilled labor migrants, the demographic attributes of the migration can be differentiated, and the factors considered are more vulnerable than the factors considered before, mainly inclined toward political radicalization and religious affirmations (Behera et al, 2021). Therefore, these factors are considerable under the development of demographic elements.…”

“…Every year, a big number of people from various states move to larger cities in search of work that will allow them to support their families. The secondlargest mass exodus in its history, behind India's partition of 1947, is due to COVID-19 (Behera et al, 2021). More than 194 million of India's 482 million workers are migrant laborers, according to the 2011 Census.…”

“…More than 194 million of India’s 482 million workers are migrant laborers, according to the 2011 Census. The migratory patterns of Indians are quite irregular (Behra et al, 2021). Of India’s out-migration, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are the most populous states, with the majority of those who have left going to Maharashtra and Delhi as their final destinations (Acharya and Acharya, 2020).…”

COVID-19, the Global South and the Pandemic’s Development Impact

“…Women's SHG members took turns to help the state government in talking to migrant labourers who were returning to the villages from outside of Odisha. Support for returned migrants from NGOs such as PECUC was crucial for survival because many could not access government benefits owing to their 'neither here, not there' status (Behera et al, 2021). A total of 1,007,330 migrant workers returned to their respective villages during the pandemic.…”

Post‐pandemic recovery through landscape restoration

“…The socio‐economic disaster triggered by COVID‐19 is expected to persist for a long time, with impacts especially on marginalized, rural, and migrant workers. This is evident from the loss of livelihoods and consequent reverse migration of millions during COVID‐19 peaks in 2020, and later again in 2021 in countries such as India, debilitating the national economies (Suresh et al 2020; Behera et al 2021). The Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) reported loss of 10 million jobs due to the second wave of COVID‐19 in 2021 and a decline in income of 97% of households since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020 (CMIE 2021).…”