TN hardly has any data on its overseas workers

SRIPERUMBUDUR: Tamil Nadu ranks second in remittances from abroad, but hardly has any data on overseas migrants from the State, according to S Irudayarajan, Chair Professor, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs Research Unit on International Migration, Centre for Development Studies.Speaking at the inauguration of an International Seminar on Young People and Migration, organised by the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development here on Wednesday, Irudayarajan said remittances from Tamils working abroad stood at Rs 40,000 crore, which is second only to Kerala (more than Rs 50,000 crore), but the State lacked database of migrants working abroad.He said there was a need for a ‘Tamil Nadu migration survey’ with the participation of the State and Centre. He also said that a National Migration Survey, which would look into the social aspects of migration, would be launched soon.Irudayarajan rued that the country had not conducted any survey on migration of youth, despite the fact that 80 per cent of migrants were youth.Nitin Kumar, head of International Organisation of Migration in New Delhi, said that Tamil Nadu was yet to set up a Migrant Resource Centre, which would be useful in taking up issues concerning them.“We spoke to Tamil Nadu and the Labour Department evinced keen interest, but it has not yet been set up,” he added.