Patna: Migration of Bihar workers from Kosi and Seemanchal regions to other metro cities in search of jobs has begun. The laborers have once again started taking trains from Saharsa, Supaul, Purnea, and Hajipur railway stations to go to Punjab and Haryana to make both ends meet. With the onset of the paddy sowing season, the exodus of daily wagers to Punjab and Haryana from Bihar has started picking up pace.
In the Purnea district of Bihar, the scorching summer heat has made labourers' life miserable. Besides, not finding jobs to eke out their livelihood, these workers have started moving to greener pastures like Punjab and Haryana, and other large cities. Anil Rishi, a migrant worker from the Purnea district said, "We didn't have any job here. The daily earnings here are so little that I am unable to pay the fee for my children's education. The paddy sowing season has arrived, so moving to Punjab or Haryana will ease the situation to some extent."
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Another worker, Indradev Mahato of the neighbouring Katihar district, said, "My home is situated on the border of Bihar and Bengal. I am on my way to Punjab to earn a livelihood. Earlier, the state government had assured that jobs would be provided but nothing as such happened. We waited for a long time. Now, leaving for Punjab in search of some work."
A similar situation has been prevailing in Saharsa, Supaul, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Vaishali, and other parts of Bihar. As per data, 11.98 lakh man-days were created under the MGNREGE scheme in April-May of the last year in the Purnea region. Even then the efforts under the scheme failed to provide succour to these labourers. During the Covid-19 pandemic, migration of daily wage earners from Purnea to Punjab and Haryana was going on unabated.
Professor Ajay Jha, a political expert, said, "The per capita income of people from Bihar compared to people in other states of the country is very low. It is the only state in the country that faces a scarcity of jobs. During the lockdown, scores of workers returned to their homes and when the situation eased they again went to metro cities in search of jobs."
