Mamata's homecoming plea for workers faces hurdles

At the heart of the issue is the absence of a credible database. Bengal lacks statistics on the number of migrant workers who originate from the state.

- TIKAM SHARMA.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent call to Bengali migrant workers—urging them to return from BJP-ruled states with the promise of jobs and livelihood—has stirred political debate while exposing the state administration’s unpreparedness. Behind the Chief Minister's bold offer lies a tangled web of practical and logistical complications that could make its execution a daunting task.

At the heart of the issue, as acknowledged by senior officials in the state secretariat, is the absence of a credible and comprehensive database. West Bengal currently lacks reliable statistics on the number of migrant workers who originate from the state, as well as information on where they have migrated, the sectors they work in, or the nature of their employment.

“We do not even have foundational data separating floating migrant workers from those permanently residing outside the state. There is also no categorization of workers as skilled or unskilled, which is crucial for planning,” said a senior official from the Planning, Statistics and Programme Monitoring Department, requesting anonymity.

WHO ARE THESE WORKERS?