The issue of migration of people from mountainous areas of the State figures prominently in the agenda of every political party of Uttarakhand. Ironically, the issue is raised only before the elections and every political party conveniently forgets it once the elections are over.
The problem of migration from the mountainous areas should be one of the highest priority areas for the planners of the State, but lack of political will is reflected by the fact that no concrete steps were taken to address the issue. The problem is only getting worse and many remote villages in Pauri, Chamoli, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh and Almora districts are almost empty. The census data reveal that districts like Pauri and Almora are showing negative population growth due to large-scale migration.
lack of Government initiatives to provide self-employment opportunities, failure to promote tourism and agriculture, and lack of facilities is forcing people to migrate towards cities and towns. The problem assumes strategic overtones also as the State shares 350 km of international border with a ‘deceptive neighbour’ like China. Five districts of State which fall on the international border cover almost half of the total area of the State are worst affected by the migration.
The State spokesman of Congress Dhirendra Pratap told The Pioneer that the issue of migration is over-hyped. He said that it is not wrong if the people are migrating for their better future. Pratap added that the Congress Government has made provisions to make Gairsain the capital of the State for the benefit of mountainous areas.
He stated that Uttarakhand is still a new State and to compare it with Himachal Pradesh is not good as it was created way back in 1966.
The State spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) PS Dhyani said that BJP would reintroduce the Hill Area Industrial Policy in the State if elected to power in Centre. He said that a separate programme should be launched to protect the hill agriculture and its produce. Dhyani stated that his Government would bring in a new tourism policy to generate large scale employment in the State.
The founder of Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation (HESCO) and recipient of Padmashree Anil Joshi told The Pioneer that the Government should prepare a comprehensive resource map of the State and based on this map, critical interventions could be devised. "These interventions would evolve enterprise and the aim of local employment generation would be met with" he said. Rubbishing the political parties for paying only lip services to the issue of migration Joshi said that villages in the mountainous areas are still productive and they only require a little help from the Government. He said people are migrating internally in the State and are leaving their villages to settle in nearby towns.