The Odisha state government has partnered with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to improve protection and access to basic services for migrant workers and their families within the state.
The partnership aims to make sure migrant households do not lose access to essential services such as food support, healthcare, nutrition, education, and labour welfare schemes when they move from one area of Odisha to another for work.
A technical assistance agreement was signed by Odisha’s Additional Chief Secretary of Labour and Employees’ State Insurance, Chithra Arumugam, and WFP India Country Director Elisabeth Faure, in the presence of Development Commissioner Anu Garg. The agreement focuses on creating a stronger and more reliable social safety net for vulnerable migrant families.
As part of the initiative, the state will develop an integrated digital platform to track migrant households. This system will allow service portability across key government programmes, including the Public Distribution System (PDS), PM POSHAN school meals, ICDS services, school enrolment, immunisation, healthcare, and labour-related benefits.
Officials said the platform will also include alerts, dashboards, and data tools to help authorities ensure services reach migrant families on time, even when they change locations.
Arumugam said the project would ensure that migrant families can depend on a stable social protection system wherever they are within Odisha. Faure added that the partnership will be especially important for improving nutrition and food security for migrant women, men, and children.
India has nearly 100 million internal migrants who contribute about 10 percent of the country’s GDP. Many of them face difficulties accessing government benefits due to frequent movement.
The Odisha government plans to begin the pilot phase of the project in Khurda district, to expand it across the state if successful.