Kerala should devise programmes for the people in the State left behind as a result of migration, said Irudaya Rajan, chairman, International Institute of Migration and Development. Addressing a seminar on Kerala Diaspora organised as part of the Keraleeyam here on Sunday, he said there are one million housewives in the State whose husbands have migrated to various countries for employment, while the number of children left behind would be around two million and elders four million.
“The families really need a support system. When we talk about the challenges and benefits of migration, they should not be left behind,” said Mr. Rajan, adding that projects to address the social cost of migration are the need of the hour”. The second main point is that one out of five households in Kerala has some sort of migration exposure. This means around 20% of the households in Kerala have migrant exposure. And around 5% of the high-skilled migrant workforce in the Kerala diaspora account for around 40% of the remittance to the State.
“We have to reorient them to invest in Kerala for the benefits of today and tomorrow’s Kerala,” said Mr. Rajan. Ginu Zacharia Oommen, visiting professor, International Institute of Migration and Development (IIMAD) and former member Kerala Public Service Commission, said at least two universities in Kerala should be equipped with centres for in-depth studies on migration from Kerala against the backdrop that the State has no major research resources to help in policy formation.
