A large number of migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have started arriving in Ludhiana and other parts of the state as the paddy sowing season gathers momentum. From the city, they will move to different villages, where they work in fields for over two months, earning wages, which many say are significantly higher than what they can earn in their native states.
Dinesh Rai, a 52-year-old migrant labourer, came to Ludhiana about a week ago to work during the paddy transplantation season. At the request of a contractor, he also brought 22 other labourers from Bihar. According to the workers, the paddy sowing season in Punjab offers one of the best earning opportunities of the year.
Speaking to The Tribune, Rai said the two-month stay in the state often provides an income, which would otherwise take much longer to earn back home.
“We are called by landlords in Punjab. We move from one village to another, sowing paddy and irrigating fields. Since paddy transplantation is carried out in phases across districts, we usually work in two to three districts during the season,” he said.
A substantial number of migrants has already reached the state for the paddy sowing season. While most of them have arrived alone, some have brought their families along. The labourers said they were generally paid around Rs 4,500 per acre for paddy transplantation.
Workers engaged in fields at Aitiana village, near Ludhiana, said they expect to earn well during the season. “Our group of 22 labourers will transplant paddy on nearly 150 acres over the next month. We are hopeful of earning a good income by the end of the season,” said Vishal Yadav, another migrant labourer.
The workforce is not limited to men. In many villages, migrant women as well as local Punjabi women can also be seen working in paddy fields.
Tarsem Singh Jodhan, a resident of Jodhan village near Ludhiana, said migrant labourers arrive in Punjab every year to meet the seasonal demand for agricultural work.
“There are many large landowners who employ migrant workers on a permanent basis. They are provided accommodation and basic amenities in villages. When additional labour is needed during peak seasons, the workers call their relatives and acquaintances from UP and Bihar, who readily come for a few months,” he said.
While the labourers described the work as financially rewarding, they acknowledged certain challenges.
“There are snakes in the fields, which can be dangerous. Sometimes workers fall ill and require medical treatment, which affects their earnings. Despite these difficulties, coming to Punjab during the paddy sowing and harvesting seasons remains a profitable option for us,” said a migrant labourer, Rinku Prasad.
