TN eyes comprehensive database of guest workers

CHENNAI: To develop a comprehensive database of inter-state migrant (ISM) labourers, the Tamil Nadu government has floated a tender to conduct an extensive state-wide survey. This initiative supplements the ongoing efforts by the state labour department to register ISMs through its online portal.

So far, the department has compiled a sector-wise database of over 12.51 lakh migrant workers. It has taken nearly five years to collect and consolidate this information. Given the challenges faced by officials in reaching ISMs across all 38 districts and sectors, the department has now decided to engage private agencies or institutions to accelerate the creation of a complete and reliable database.

In the absence of accurate data and clear information, the government has struggled to effectively reach and support this workforce. On the other hand, the ISMs were also unaware of the social security schemes implemented for them, said a senior bureaucrat.

Authorities noted that the aim is to "bridge the gap between the ongoing enrolment drive" through the department's web portal and the actual numbers, a move that would aid policymaking and help monitor the movement of migrant labourers more efficiently.

According to available data with the labour department, 12,17,229 ISMs have been registered so far. Migrant workers from Odisha top the list at 2.89 lakh, followed by those from Bihar with 2.51 lakh workers.

Sectors such as manufacturing (factories), construction, and textiles account for the highest employment of ISMs.

Notably, over 1.22 lakh migrant workers are employed in manufacturing units in Tiruppur district alone, while officials have recorded details of more than 2.22 lakh ISMs across the districts of Kancheepuram, Coimbatore, and Chennai.

"The current data provides a glimpse into migration patterns and the labour-intensive sectors employing these workers. But we need far more robust information. This is achievable only if we manage to document at least 80% of the ISM population," said another official.

Meanwhile, experts such as S Irudaya Rajan, Chairman of the International Institute of Migration and Development, emphasise that in industrialised states like Tamil Nadu, ISMs are a vital cog in driving economic growth. Hence, migrant-friendly policies are essential to sustain this momentum and emphasis on robust mechanisms to keep track of the migrant workers’ inflow and outflow.