Lok Sabha Question No. 161 (STARRED), answered on 2022-12-19
Subject: Migration of Youth from North-Eastern States
Ministry: DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION
Asked by: Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu

## Government of India

## Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

## LOK SABHA Starred Question No.*161

To be answered on Monday, December 19, 2022/Agrahayana28, 1944 (Saka)

## Question Migration of Youth from North-Eastern States

## *161.   SHRI T.R.BAALU:

Will the Minister of DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of large scale migration of youth from North-Eastern States during the last three years in search of jobs and the States to which such migration is high;
- (b) the action taken/being taken by the Government to ensure proper education and employment opportunities in North-Eastern Region, so that they get jobs in their areas and  are  assured  of  good  livelihood,  as  the  great  majority  of  them  are  employed  in unskilled jobs with poor wages and improper living conditions;
- (c) whether the Government has conducted any comprehensive study on the matter and if so, the details thereof along with the action plan for improving the economy of the North-Eastern Region; and
- (d) the action taken/being taken by the Union Government in consultation with State Governments  to  ensure  proper  wages,  living  conditions  and  safety  of  such  migrant people living in various States?

## ANSWER

The Minister of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region [Shri G. Kishan Reddy]

- (a)  to (d) A Statement is laid on the table of the House

## Statement referred in reply to parts (a) to (d) Lok Sabha Starred Question No.161 to be answered on 19/12/2022.

(a) The Government has no data in this regard for the last three years. However, as per the Census 2011, there are 1,52,05,214 migrants in the North East Region (NER) states.  Of  these,  93.80%  (1,42,62,490)  are  intra-state  migrants  and  only  6.20% (9,44,050)  are  inter-state  migrants.  The  all-India  figure  for  inter-state  migration  is 11.90% and 88.10% for intra-state migration. The top three states to which inter-state migration  from  the  NER  States  occur  are  West  Bengal  (39.56%),  Delhi  (7.66%)  and Maharashtra (7.4%).

(b)&  (c) The  Government  has  taken  various  initiatives  to  improve  employment opportunities for youth including those in the NER. These include the interlinking of the 'Udyam',  'e-Shram',  National  Career  Service  (NCS),  and  the  Aatmanirbhar  Skilled Employee-Employer  Mapping  (ASEEM).  Besides,  the  NCS  portal  of  the  Ministry  of Labour  &  Employment  (ML&E)  has  been integrated  with  State  portals including  most States of NER. 25 NCS centres for scheduled castes (SC) and scheduled tribes (ST) have been established, out of which 06 are in NER in addition to the 02 centres for the differently abled. NCS has also partnered with Microsoft and launched 'DigiSaksham', a joint  digital  skills  initiative  for  employability  through  digital  skills.  M/o  L&E  has  also launched  the  'Aatmanirbhar  Bharat  Rojgar  Yojana'  (ARBY),  to  boost  the  economy, increase  the  employment  generation  in  the  post-COVID  recovery  phase  and  to incentivize  creation  of  new  employment  along  with  social  security  benefits  and restoration of loss of employment during COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the Skill India Mission, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is implementing the Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) under which, various interventions in States, including NER, are being  made.  These include institutional  strengthening  at  State  &  district  level;  quality assurance of skill development programmes; and inclusion of marginalised population in skill  development  programmes.  MSDE  also  implements  the  Accelerated  Mission  for Better Employment  & Retention (AMBER)  project that aims towards improved employment and retention of candidates post completion of short-term skill development training program. MSDE has issued the Notification of Common Norms (2015) wherein, 30% or the last  tranche  of  base  cost  of  all  skilling  schemes  is  being  incentivised  for placement.  Under the  Norms,  an  additional  amount  for  skilling  is  provided  in  Special Areas including NER States. Further, post-placement support @ Rs. 1,500 per month for  Special  Areas  including  NER  States  is  also  provisioned.  The  Indian  Institute  of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati, under MSDE imparts 388 training programs such as Entrepreneurship  Development  Program  (EDP),  Skill  Development  Program  (SDP), Entrepreneurship  and  Skill  Development  Program  (ESDP)  etc.  During  financial  year 2021-22, 10,116 participants have been imparted training under various programmes.

For improving the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), promoting higher education and for encouraging children belonging to economically weaker section of the NE region, the University  Grants  Commission  (UGC),  under  the  Ministry  of  Education  (MoE)  has launched  the 'Ishan  Uday'  scholarship  scheme  for  NER.  The  Indira  Gandhi  National Open University (IGNOU) facilitates expansion of educational development in NER by providing  opportunities  of  higher  education,  training,  skill  development  and  other initiatives  through its network of  09 Regional Centres (RC) and 535 Learners Support centres (LSCs) in  the  NER.  Under  the  scheme  of  setting  up  of  20  Indian  Institute  of Information (IIIT) in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, 03 such IIITs have been set up in NER. The North Eastern Regional Office of UGC provides financial support for construction  of  hostels  for  boys  in  SC/ST  concentrated  districts.  The  Department  of Sports has established a National Sports University (NSU) in Imphal to focus on sports education and provide support to the sporting talent of the region.

The Ministry of Rural Development implements schemes, including in the NER, for  creating  employment  and  supporting  livelihoods.  These  are  the  Mahatma  Gandhi National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS),  Deendayal  Antyodaya Yojana  -  National  Rural  Livelihoods  Mission  (DAY-NRLM),  DeenDayal  Upadhyaya Grameen  Kaushalya  Yojana  (DDU-GKY),  Rural  Self  Employment  Training  Institutes, National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), and Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM)

The North East Handicrafts and Handlooms Corporation Ltd. (NEHHDC) under Ministry  of  Development  of  North  Eastern  Region  (MDoNER)  provides  handholding support to the artisans and weavers of the NER by skilling them and creating market linkages  to  enable  them  to  continue  their  traditional  skills  and  provide  them  gainful employment.  The  North  Eastern  Council  (NEC)  under  MDoNER  has  launched  the

"Advancing  North  East"  portal  -  a  one  stop  solution  for  career  and  livelihood  for  the youth of NER.

(d) The MoE has launched the 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' programme which aims to  enhance  interaction  &  promote  mutual  understanding  between  people  of  different States/UTs  including  all  States  of  NER.  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  taken  various steps  such  as  issuance  of  advisories/instructions  to  the  State  Governments/UTs regarding action plan for providing security to people from NER, appointment of  nodal officers in States/UTs to address the grievances of people from NER, and sensitization of  enforcement  agencies  to  take  appropriate  action  in  any  case  of  harassment.  A Special Police Unit for North East Region (SPUNER) has been set up by Delhi Police and a special helpline number 1093 and  dedicated email,  ne.complaints@mha.gov.in for  lodging  complaint/grievances  by  people  of  NER  has  also  been  started.  A  threemember Monitoring Committee has been set up by Ministry of Home Affairs with two members  belonging  to  NER  for  monitoring  of  issues  and  redressal  of  grievances relating to racial discrimination faced by people from  NER residing in different parts of the country.

In order to safeguard the interest of the migrant workers, the Central Government of  Employment  and Conditions  of  Service)  Act,  1979  which  provides  different  safeguards  against  the had enacted the Inter-State Migrant  Workmen  (Regulation exploitation of migrant workers.

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