Telangana becomes hub for Bihari agriculture labourers in Kharif and Rabi seasons

The Bihari labourers including women are earning money ranging between Rs.50,000 and Rs.1lakh each during every crop season for the last three years and returning to their native villages after completion of the work in Telangana.

While several agriculture labourers and farmers from Telangana are going to Gulf countries in search of livelihood, skilled labourers from Bihar are cashing in on the demand in Telangana and earning money while working in fields.

Officials said the Agriculture department earlier intended to encourage farmers in the State to go for farm mechanization due to severe shortage of skilled agriculture labourers. But when the people from Bihar started extending their services in Telangana, the idea of complete mechanization was dropped.

Ever since these labourers started working in the State, the shortage of agriculture labourers was resolved completely. “For each crop season, every Bihar farmer is earning Rs.4,000 per acre. As they are specialized in transplantation works, these farmers are completing the task quickly in one village and taking up the same task in another village,” an official from Agriculture department ending up earning over Rs.50,000 to Rs.1 lakh during one season.

Each Bihar group comprising over 15 members arrive at the State with the onset of south-west monsoon and start transplantation works related to paddy cultivation. Each group will be assisted by a dedicated cook to take care of their food everyday. The elders in the village will provide accommodation to them.

For instance in Nizamabad district, they would first start the work in Banswada and later proceed to Bodhan after completion of the work they would then proceed to Nizamabad rural.

In the same manner, they would be shifting to other villages and continue their work, said Nizamabad District Agriculture Officer Wajid Hussain told Deccan Chronicle. Paddy transplantation works have already accelerated in 4.3 lakh acres out of 5.50 lakh acres of agriculture land in the State while maize, soya beans and turmeric crops are cultivated in the remaining 1.2 lakh acres.

After completion of Kharif, they would again return to Telangana in October-November to attend Rabi works. Hussain said these labourers would work for over 50 days in every season and go back to Bihar.

Apart from Nizamabad, these labourers are working in parts of erstwhile Adilabad, Karimnagar and Nalgonda districts. The availability of Bihar agriculture labourers brought a huge relief for the department, which faced problems in arranging skilled labourers locally, officials added.