December 3, 2015 at Hotel Triveni conference Hall, Balangir
The Programmme was organized at Hotel Tribeni, Balangir on dt. 03.12.2015.First giving the welcome speech Prominent Advocate, Sri Trilochan Punji introduced the matter to all audience.
He focused on labour issues and safe migration. Then he invited Mr Sachidananda Swain to speek a few words about the worksop. Mr Swain gave a clear picture of the intervention started by ILO for marginalized people through the world. He also spoke about the collaboration of ILO with NASVI to take the task ahead. NASVI and ILO are committed for the street vendors’ issues. Basic needs disability, mother and child and migrant youths are the focus of the intervention.
He spoke about the social security of alternatively abled and elderly people. He also spoke about the vending zone of Bhubaneswar and emphasized on to take it as role model and follow suit.
Sri Sunile Goel –while giving his speech emphasized on the united effort to take the benefit of social security schemes. He stressed the importance of organizing more such workshop, seminar and symposium in western Odisha so that its benefit can reach to the rural masses. He also empathized on faulty schemes of Govt. Terming the new food security scheme as meaningless rituals he said that it will further escalate the hunger death for one cannot survive in 5KG riche throughout the month.
He also told that regional disparity is the root of all social problems and once it is solved then society may remain intact. He emphasized that there are many quasi-judicial bodies of Govt. wherein people having in-depth knowledge about the subject matter should be taken. But on the other hand these quasi-judicial bodies have become the rehabilitation center for politicians. Finally he concluded with a note that the old age pension scheme should be increased from its current amount. Then after the request of the anchor Sri Tirilohan Punjhi Sri Lochan Bariha recited a song on migration and its evil ramification.
Mir Majmul Ali, Baripada NASVI member focused on the effort of NASVi to bring a law for street vendors once and for all. The Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending Act,2014. He emphaised about the letter of House and Urban Development Ministry to each Municipality to take steps as per the Act mentioned above. He expressed deep concerned over the lackadaisical attitude of Executive Officers of Urban Local Body to follow the rule in letter and spirit. He said about the minimum pension in social security schemes to be 1000 rupees and 2000 should be given to those who are above the age of 80.
Kendra Sahitya Academi award winner writer Sri Kehtra basi naik spoke about the the impact of literature in society. He said that the literature is not for one age but it is for all ages and for all times to come. Speaking so he promised to reflect the social problems in his writings.
The first session was started with the lighting of lamp by Sri Ranjit Praksash of ILO, Subash Singh Chairman of building construction board, Sudarshan Dash eminent journalist , Sri Sanjaya Mishra Chairman of Child Welfare Committee, Professor Sri Padmalochan Barma ,Prominent Advocate Bishnu Prasad Sharma
Sri Trilochan Punji introduced all the guest in the dais one by one and spoke heavily about the proper implementation of different laws meant for labourers He first invited the chairman of Child Welfare Committee,
Sri Sanjyaya Mishra, while speaking he spoke about the need of such workshop in migration prone districts. He spoke lot many a scheme are there but there is yet a question mark on the all pervading nature of these schemes. Along with the problems of the street vendors he emphasized the problems of Tendu leaf picker. He also expressed concerned about the burning of Tendu repository and exhort the Govt. officials to give a second thought to these issues. Speaking about seasonal hostel he told that more seasonal hostels in migration prone blocks should be created. Rag pickers are also vulnerable groups in India. He expressed concerned over this as well and requested NASVI to take this issue to national level.
Sri Bishnu Prasad Sharma eminent advocate of Kantabanji focused on the remedial measures that may be adopted to solve the problem of migration. He spoke about the Human Right violation of migrant labour. He also said that Odisha is the first state to enact law on migrant labour issues but it was not implemented properly hence the problem is escalating. He said that building construction labour act is a new hope for this area. He expressed concern about establishing a commission on migrant labour so that their problems can be solved. He requested the press media to come forward and highlight the issue so that it can catch the eye of State as well as National Govt.
Dr Padmalochan Barma, Professor of Khariar College, Khariar told about an incident of Kusmal Village of Khariar Block. In this village on 30th of November a meeting was organized by the farmers who were severely affected by the drought. Fear of starvation death is looming large inside the district of Nuapada and Balangir being a neighboring district is no exception to it. The crop is equally damaged in other western Odisha district. He expressed concern about the deplorable condition of farmers and requested all to take it seriously. Old age pension and PDS system are the few measures that is sustaining the people. Better implementation of MGNREGA can solve the matter to some extent. He also spoke about massive plantation of trees so that NTFP can be generated which is at the verge of extinction.
Sri Sudarshan Dash Eminent journalist of Odisha spoke about the picture of Balangir in Odisha. He said that there are two groups one is that of Officers, Leader and Business man and the other is that of marginalized people. He spoke about the grim reality of the people who are ready to sell their child for bread and butter. Social security schemes have failed and failed seriously inside the district he reiterated. He told that schemes are their but it is not reaching to ground zero. He told that every political parties and civil society are shouting that noting has been done but no one is coming with a remedial measure.
Sri Madan Mohan Paik District Labor Officer told about safe migration. He said that migration itself is not a bad connotation what is bad is distress migration. He said that branch office of DLO office will be opened at Kantabanji so that people can easily avail the benefit.
Sri Ranjit Prakash, National Coordinator, ILO Spoke about the measures that may be adopted to check the distress migration. He explained in detail about ILO and its activities in India. He also spoke about the need of a state level and national level consortium of Civil Society to keep a keen vigil on social security schemes. He also explained that it is a mutual responsibility of Govt. and Civil Society in the same vein to see the better implementation of Social Security Scheme. He told that United Nation is seriously thinking about Social Security of people through ought the world. He expressed concerned that the international standard of Social Security is yet to be maintained in India. There must be two goals of Social Security, the first one is financial security and the other is security of health. He also made it crystal clear that ILO is deeply thinking about Odisha for it has taken it as pilot state for intervention so far as ensuring social securities is concerned.
Sri Subash Singh Chairman, Building and Other Construction Worker’s Welfare Board spoke about that if one has zeal then he can achieve anything in the world. Hence the problem of migration is not that much serious if mutual and united effort is taken. He said that ILO is the supreme authority in the world so far as issues related to labour is concerned. He said that nearly 45 crore people are working in India and out of them 40 crores are working in unorganized sector. It involves both the white collar and blue-collar job.
In Odisha there are around 1.5 lakh people who are working on outsourcing basis. Even though they work hard they never get equal due in proportionate to their work rather just get a pittance. He gave a clear-cut picture about the contribution of labour force for GDP and told there is a great need of new laws to be framed for the betterment of the laborers engaged in unorganized sector. He said that his organization is giving great importance to Balangir for it is an epicenter of migration. He told that the branch office of District Labour Office will be opened at Kantabanji very soon. He also spoke about the scholarship available to the offspring of registered laborers and spoke that many new steps will be taken very soon. He also said that liaison between the states Govt. of Odisha and Telengana as well as Andhra Pradesh Govt. has been done so that the migrant laborers will not suffer from any kind of causality. He said that the social security objective should find its place in the constitution as a social right. People who are not eligible are getting the benefit on the other hand the real people who should get the benefit are lagging behind because of nepotism in our society. Ancillary things like agriculture, fish culture, should be promoted to check migration.
Sri Sudrashan Das commencing the afternoon session opinioned for making a consortium of development professionals who would work as a pressure group to Govt. for better implementation of Social Security Scheme. He also gave a proposition to focus on one particular Block of Balangir and show the result.
Sri Jayadev Kar of OMEGA talked about annihilation of corrupt practices in the system. He opined for a Sub-Collector level officer to be employed in Kantabanji who would particularly look after migration related works.
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Sarala Award winner in Odiya Literature Sri Manoj Panda assured that he will reflect the social problems in his stories for he is a writer par excellence.
Sri Sosit Kumar Nayak, Secretary, Road Aim Power Regional Developent, Sambalpur told about the need of some new scheme for Tendu leaf worker and the traditional weavers. He expressed concerned about the problems faced by the labourers. According to him the insurance companies should come forward to serve the labour classes through their new schemes and the state Govt. must take necessary steps in this regard.
Sri Bharat Bhusan Thakur of Kalahandi told that the politicians are using the very name of Social Security as a political agenda. He also opined for the inclusion of social security measures in the main schedule of constitution instead of putting it in Directive Principle of State Policy.
Noted Leader and Social Activist Sri Lalit Kumar Nayak of Balangir told about the upliftment of migrant labourer.
Smt. Banita Khamari , Member Social Welfare Board expressed concern about ban on liquor. Terming that alcohol is the root cause of all social evil she emphasized that ban on liquor can reduce migration to great extent.
Smt. Sunita Tripathy, a prominent social activist opined about massive registration process. She said women laborers who are migrating are most vulnerable group and hence registration of women is must if they are going outside the state. She also spoke about the lackadaisical attitude of ground level Govt. Officials because of whom the social security schemes are not bearing any fruit in the ground zero.
Further Ms. Shruti Rane, Project Coordinator, NASVI took up, she shared the journey of Odisha on Social Protection, she spoke about OASIS and about forming a network for alliance. The programme ended with a vote of thanks and Feasibility of Network.
After the Programme was over Sri Bharat Bhusan Thakur in an informal discussion spoke about the would be consortium of development professions for better implementation of social security schemes. Unanimously it was decided to convene yet another meeting on 22,23 and 24 of December at Bhubaneswar. Unanimously the following names were selected for sharing responsibility in days to come.
