Local migrant workers: The Mokokchung story

In 1971, 90% of the population of Nagaland lived in rural areas; however, by 2011, this figure had dropped to 71.14% Nagaland also recorded the highest decadal growth of urban population in the country with 69% in 2011 as against the national growth rate of 21%.

Migration from rural to urban areas has contributed largely to the rapid growth of urban population in the State. However, as per the 2011 census, the distribution of urban population was not uniform in the State, with the concentration being higher in few towns like Kohima and Dimapur that alone accounted for more than 55% of the State’s total urban population.

Dr Limasenla Jamir, Asst Professor, Department of Sociology, stated at the bi-monthly inter-departmental seminar on 9 May at Fazl Ali College Conference Hall that urbanization has increased dramatically with the spread of literacy and the proliferation of new jobs. Furthermore, with Kohima as the state capital and Dimapur as the state’s commercial hub, she found that the two districts have drawn the rural population to migrate. She informed this while presenting her paper titled, ‘Local Migrant Workers: The Mokokchung Story’.

At the same time, people from other parts of Nagaland migrate to Mokokchung in quest of better employment opportunities which make up the local migrants.

According to Dr Limasenla Jamir, local migrants in Mokokchung are mostly from the seven tribes of Eastern Nagaland: Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Tikhir, Sangtam, and Yimkhiung, with Konyak and Khiamniungan accounting for the majority of the labor force, followed by Chang, Phom, Tikhir, Sangtam, and Timkhiung. She also stated that the bulk of local migrants reside in Alempang, Artang, Lijaba Lijen, Marepkong, and Mongsenbai Wards.

According to her, local migrant laborers operate in sectors such as construction, agriculture, leisure and hospitality, and domestic service. However, according to an update received here from Dr Jamir, the migrants face a number of issues, including irregular and unorganized employment circumstances, discrimination, harassment, and negative reactions from the native community.

She also cited an example of a local migrant worker from Noklak who complained about getting paid less than the non-local worker. “The problem with working with local people is that they pay us less. While a non-local worker from Bihar or UP gets Rs 2000 for a job done, they will pay us Rs 1500-1000 after a long bargain for the same job,” she quoted the local migrant worker, adding that, according to the local migrant, he had not been paid for his job in many cases.

She went on to say that another major issue among the workers was ‘safety,’ particularly among construction workers. “Truly little to none is done for the protection of the workers,” she added, adding that migrant workers confront a lack of financial stability and a constant fight to make ends meet for survival and livelihood.

Dr Jamir stated that the Naga development model is built on a “closed village economy” and that the contribution of local migrant workers to the district’s development is noteworthy. She stated that without the migrants, both local and non-local, who left their homes for brighter pastures, “the village economy would not have fared well in the path of development.”

She said that skilled and unskilled migrant workers have made significant contributions to the district’s labor market and development. However, she added that there are also problems associated with migration like loss of jobs and income opportunities for the native people in the district.

Mokokchung Times