Sharp increases in mobile tariffs are straining the budgets of migrant workers in cities like Bengaluru, making it harder for them to stay connected and entertained Amoolya Rajappa Ningreingam takes a moment during work to watch WhatsApp videos of corn harvesting sent by his family in Manipur. Amoolya Rajappa/The Migration Story BENGALURU, Karnataka: Sitting leisurely at a salon in the upscale Koramangala neighbourhood of Bengaluru, hair stylist Ningreingam Shokchui wistfully

Low-income migrant workers are the first victims of domicile job quotas, which experts say is a populist approach to garner votes but overlooks the cascading impact such policies would have on livelihoods and state economies  Anuja File image.  Pic credit: Tanmoy Bhaduri  It took the Congress party-led Karnataka government less than 48 hours and a severe industry backlash to first clear  and later withdraw  a draft bill in July aimed at reserving jobs for locals. It mandated

India gives tribal villages rights over forest land and its produce but the laws have been poorly implemented. A union of villages in Maharashtra is now using them to guard their green cover and monetise the produce, which has arrested migration from villages Roli Srivastava Amita Madavi stands in the forest that her village is trying to protect from a mining project in Zendepar, Maharashtra. Roli Srivastava/The Migration Story ZENDEPAR, Maharashtra:  Amita Madavi, 38, doesn’

Economic problems remain top priority for most voters, but climate change has become an important issue for young people everywhere. Vaishnavi Chandrashekhar Voters beating the heat at a polling station to franchise their vote at Haripal, West Bengal on April 22, 2006 Picture   Credit : Election Commission of India ( https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive2/photoright.aspx?phid=8294 ) 2024 is a year of elections. At least 64 nations headed to polls this year, from Indonesia in Feb

What can migrants’ earnings buy? In Odisha, migrant workers are bringing in as much or more financial resources as the government spends on development activity in some blocks. The income from migration has pulled families out of debt and poverty in several villages, research shows Liby Johnson Bustling market area in Surada block. Photo credit: Rufus Sunny, Gram Vikas “I think there is something seriously wrong with the household survey in Surada. The numbers that are coming

Mansi Bhaktwani The One Nation, One Ration Card is a Central Government scheme launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. It aims to provide food security for all, particularly migrant workers by allowing them to access subsidised food grains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) across India.   On September 2, 2024, the Supreme Court sought a response from the government on how far had its directions on granting ration cards to migrant workers

Sneha Richhariya Artist Ajay Chakradhar recently displayed his work at an exhibition called ‘Tales from The East: Embers, Echoes, and Stories of Shifting Earth’ in Delhi, showcasing his art that reflects the life and challenges of those living in the mining hub of Jharkhand state. On this podcast he speaks to journalist Sneha Richhariya about finding inspiration in the colours of soot and iron ore and shiny mica that he uses in his art.

Prakhar Dobhal Swara Garge The Transport Department of the Delhi government is impounding and dismantling unregistered e-rickshaws in the Indian capital. This move has led to confusion and uncertainty in the migrant community who largely operate these rickshaws, a key mode of public transport for many. Swara Garge and Prakhar Dobhal capture the dilemma of the migrant drivers.

A state-run fish farming scheme in Odisha creates livelihood opportunity in drought-hit villages, brings migrants home Abhijit Mohanty Narahari Jani throws a net to catch fish from his pond at Jhalaguda village in Laxmipur block in Koraput district. Abhijit Mohanty/The Migration Story. BALIGUDA, Odisha:   For years, Nilima Khilla, 33, was the sole worker on the family-owned 2.4 acre farm in an eastern Indian village. She grew millets, paddy and vegetables while her husband Ra

The Migration Bulletin is a fortnightly round-up that captures issues related to migration that have been reported on various media platforms. In its second edition, we look at the violent attacks migrants faced in Meghalaya and a new legislation that aims to protect them and an app launched in Kerala that connects blue collar workers with jobs, among other stories. Khasi Students' Union (KSU) Facebook page Migrant protection legislation in Meghalaya  A spate of attacks on mi

No offer letter, no fixed salary, no fixed hours, or fixed monthly leaves. This form of informality of labour is all around us, even inside our homes. Namrata Raju   Welcome to 'L is for Labour' with labour policy researcher Namrata Raju. This brand new series will in each episode unpack the complexities of India's world of work. Our first episode demystifies domestic work. Namrata is a labour and public policy researcher. She spent nearly two decades as a South Asian in West

Climate scientist Anjan Ray unpacks India’s clean energy goals, the impact of green energy projects on local communities and what the future holds for the country's most vulnerable.

The livelihoods of an estimated 15 lakh farm workers in Punjab – not counting the thousands of migrant labourers in the state - are at risk from the increasing adoption of mechanised seeding of rice Sanskriti Talwar   Slippers of workers outside a rice field. Sanskriti Talwar/The Migration Story SRI MUKTSAR SAHIB , Punjab:  For the past three decades, Gora Singh, a 60-year-old farm labourer, has been transplanting rice during June and July in the fields of landowning farmers