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It's destination Surat for these workers

Staff Reporter

BERHAMPUR: Migrant labourers especially youths from rural areas of Ganjam district are in a hurry to reach Surat in Gujarat to ensure an employment scope.

Due to the festive season of Danda Nata and marriage season, a large number of migrant labourers of the district working in Surat had returned back to their villages. Now they are in a hurry to reach Surat as early as possible to grab job opportunities. "Most of us work on weekly or fortnightly payments at the weaving mills in Surat and we have to search for work again after returning," said Nilakantha Sahu of Khallikote area while waiting for the Puri-Ahmedabad express at Berhampur station.

Marriage season

Most of the youths travelling to Surat for the first time say there would be some vacancies for them at weaving mills in Surat if they reach early as most of the youths who had gone back to get married would prefer to stay back at home for at least one month. During the month of April there were very few migrant labourers travelling to Surat says Loknath Mishra, the head of Project Setu that is keeping data on migrant labourers at panchayat level in Hijli and Aska blocks of Ganjam district. The agricultural season starts late in Ganjam district. These youths want to try their luck to get some income in Surat during these few months till the agricultural work starts in the district, says Mishra.

Another reason behind the rush of migrant labourers following the marriage season happens to be the loans taken during marriages. Many prefer to go Surat to get some money to repay the loans for marriages of brothers and sisters. As per an estimate there are more than nine lakh Oriya migrant labourers working in Surat and most of them are from Ganjam district.

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