Migration impact on Goan demography

Migrants have become a significant contender in Goa’s socio-economic scenario. They can be loosely classified into the poverty-stricken immigrant and their affluent counterparts. The poor form the majority of the non-Goans that are found begging and loitering in the streets, over-crowding the local buses, living in the slums and generally promoting the anti-outsider sentiment. The rich non-Goans are indiscriminately buying up property all over Goa and fueling the real-estate and construction boom, thus making the niz Goenkar unable to afford new housing options. It is opined that around 40% of Goa's population today is made up of migrants. Despite native Goans having a relatively low birth rate, Goa's population as tripled since liberation four decades ago precisely because of immigration.



The migrant slums have ceased to be a mere eyesore anymore; instead they have become a downright repulsive sight. These encroachments on public and comunidade properties by unscrupulous elements are a cause of concern for both the locals and civic authorities. The increasing number slums have led to a corresponding rise in the crime graph over the last few months. The overt political patronage and powerful slum lords mean that these areas have been out of bounds to the local police authorities. The recent demolitions are just eyewash with only fringe areas being targeted. The slum fiefdoms that form the majority vote-bank to our political punters are largely left alone. The migrants are made to shell out advanced rents for up to 6 months for every squalid structure, a system very similar to that adopted by the infamous Dharavi slums in Mumbai.



The authorities, through political coercion are quick to offer ration cards to the newcomers in exchange of the promised votes. The ration card acts as a precursor to obtain further legal documents ensuring their unhindered stay here. Interestingly the municipal authorities hold no record of the number of people living in the slums, even though official documents like the ration card are distributed liberally. These benefits are bestowed on them promptly, without even verifying whether such facilities are available to them elsewhere and whether their names have been canceled in their earlier place of residence. This vote-bank political strategy has unfortunately gained precedence over the safety and security of the Goenkar and our Goa. Migrant slums put considerable strain on the infrastructure through fraudulent procurement of water and electricity supply. These areas are potential health hazards owing to lack of sanitation. Thus poor migrant non-Goans, being an unofficial resident of the state, have no obligation to pay taxes. Effectively it is 60% of the Goan taxpayer who's pay for the upkeep and upliftment of almost 25% migrant poor.



The indiscriminate rise in numbers is due to the greed of labor contractors. Contractors bring in a group of migrants workers for one of those rampant real-estate mega-housing projects. These builders are supposed to provide facilities like water, housing, toilets and crèches conveniently forget to do so putting the newcomers in a vulnerable position. Here the enterprising politicians enter the scene, providing a dwelling in slums and a ration card for subsidized food in exchange for a vote. As the project proceeds, they realize that the higher wages, peaceful people and ration cards mean a better life for their kith and kin, who are then promptly summoned. The easy availability of railway routes from all parts of India, initially meant to promote tourism, has only exacerbated the situation. After the project is over they become a liability as the contractors scour the Indian hinterland for a new cheaper labor force.



They then get involved in petty trade through illegal shops or work as daily wage laborers. Some however resort to anti-social practices like burglary, cheating, prostitution, begging and harassing tourists.They are trying their best to melt into the local population. After being generally perceived as rude and untrustworthy you wonder what they are doing to integrate. Well believe it or not, there has been a spate of changes in individual migrant names to reflect local nomenclature. Also the registrations of new births in slums have seen many children given typical Goan names like Pedro, Santan, Bostao, Joao etc. However honest their intentions may seem, the underlying ulterior motive is to avail of schemes of the state government, which are meant for the traditional Goan SC, ST and OBC’s.



There is little doubt that Goa needs the daily-wage migrants as they constitute a sizable segment of the labor force in public as well as private sectors. They form the backbone of the construction, agriculture and fishing industries as the natives are not interested in low-paying jobs. There is an uneasy unrest among the migrant communities over the daily wage rate with people from poverty-stricken states willing to work for lower wages and competition with increasing immigration. The ugly menace of pedophilia has reared its head once again in our state because of the supposed effortless availability of migrant children. This being said, politicians not having their own migrant vote-banks indulge in migrant bashing to appeal to the middle class voters and act as a diversion from real issues like mining, health care, garbage disposal and mega housing projects.



Goa’s rich and varied landscape from the beaches to the ecologically rich Western Ghats coupled with our unique cultural heritage has made us a hot spot in the tourism scene. For many years we have played good hosts to guests from all over the country and the world. Now however it seems as if the guests have overstayed their welcome. They are haphazardly buying the lands nurtured by our ancestors. The large concrete structures are giving Goan villages a soulless cosmopolitan guise. Goa’s land and its resources are up for grabs to the highest bidder. The investments in local properties by dubious Indian rich and political bigwigs have escalated the land prices. Now people earning local salaries find it difficult to purchase a house. We are effectively selling our homes to outsiders and left with nowhere to go.



The more wealthy non-Goans hold many posts in the education sector. These non-Goan bourgeois heavily patronize members from their own states and go to extraordinary lengths to secure posts for them overseeing qualified Goans. They have a sizable presence in bureaucratic and government departments. Their presence in the latter are attributed to their ability to pay heavy bribes to the ministers who appoint them. This stinging truth about our government is the reason Goa is ranked as one of the most corrupt states in India.


A more recent occurrence is emergence of the middle-class 'bhailo' which literally means outsider in Konkani. The notorious political goodwill towards a newer "vote-bank' and easy availability of housing (part of the governments infrastructure 'development' ignoring issues of roti,kapda aur makaan) has attracted settlers. These immigrants usually arrive in droves, often occupying whole housing colonies. The worrying trend is that there a many exclusive hubs where Goan families are actively discouraged from relocating. Thus we have exclusive areas with Gujaratis in Porvorim; Muslims-only colonies are widespread around Moti Dongor,Verna,Valpoi and Sada; Kashmiris in the Salcete belt; Russians in Calangute, Betalbatim and Canacona beach areas; and so on and so forth. In today’s scenario with Goa being declared a prime target for terror outfits, we cannot afford to have unsolicited people here. The modus operandi of these outfits has often been to visit the targets for a reconnaissance operation. While the police has been quick to round up poor migrants to verify their identities, they have often overlooked the middle-class and rich 'bhailo'. It is true that the migrant living in the slums are responsible for many petty offenses, but isn't it also true that the modern day terrorist is well funded with sophisticated technology?



Since the Indian constitution guarantees the right of free movement, it can be argued that migration is inevitable. However a look at the current demographic situation in Goa will make you think otherwise. This is the reason we demand a law for special status to Goa so that land will no longer be sold to non-Goans. Goans are unhappy with a prevalent sense of a superiority complex amongst these non-Goans who believe that we cannot do without their help. Let us resolve to minimize our dealings with these migrants, not unlike the non-cooperation movement popularized by the father of our nation Mahatma Gandhi. While it is economically feasible to invite technically skilled people to bolster our industrial growth, emphasis must be laid on providing jobs for the qualified local youth who are forced to seek jobs outside Goa.



The government must formulate a clear policy on migrants from the lower strata of society. It can start me implementing policies making contractors responsible towards the labor force employed by them. It would also help if a comprehensive survey is conducted on the number of non-Goans living in slums with the voter rights being revoked unless they have a proof of residence of at least 15 years within the union territory of Goa. The government departments should be asked to monitor the conditions of migrants belonging to the unorganized sector. The poverty and crimes in their parent states force them to flee elsewhere. Ironically, few of the people who work in the mega-projects here have been displaced by similar endeavors in their home states. They essentially are working towards building houses for their well heeled Indian counterparts.

The demand for a special status can be justified as Goa joined the union territory of India in 1961; more than 10 years after the formulation of the Constitution. The Constitution has this special status provision where amongst other things, sale of land to non-residents is forbidden. This stipulation is implemented by states like Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim etc. Under the annals of a special status there should be a immediate check on immigration into Goa. The onus should be placed on the police force to take the initiative and verify the background of every new settler from the turn of the millennium. The government should also liaison with the states these "bhaillo" come from to verify their antecedents and make arrangements towards deporting criminals and anti-social elements. The housing projects can be offered to Goans on a leased basis at subsidized rates as the normal prices are almost extortionate. The villas can be reserved for NRG's (Non-Resident-Goan) as they can afford the same. The builders veer towards luxury villas as there are higher profit margins or perhaps that is the only way to make enough money after paying bribes to our politicians.

An examination of sales records of land in Goa shows that at least 85% percent of them have some illegality or the other. Under the annals of the special status, Goa can also demand at least 50% revenue from its mining exports (Goa's GDP now receives only about 3% with India getting 80% forex and the rest going to mining corporations). Goa annually exports an average of 30 million tonnes of iron ore (40% of India's export) at a cost ranging from $70 to $120 per tonne depending on demand and quality... that is a lot of money... you do the math. The revenue received from selling these precious chunks of Goa's iron ore resources can be used to buy off the all and sundry builders and other land deals to non-Goans chalked out in the last decade or so.

The government needs to take up issue with many ads on television that portray Goa as a site for a vacation villa /retirement dwelling. The setup of exclusive colonies segregated on basis of religion or the immigrants place of origin is plain wrong and will only foster further hatred. It is not that there are not enough laws to curb the illegalities going on, its just that these laws are interpreted by different babus and ministers differently to suit their own purpose. The last resort for the common man, our judiciary is swamped by other disputes. That being said, the government defends its failed policies by fighting these cases on limitless taxpayers money as the aam aadmi is left to fend for themselves. The way things are, the limited infrastructure will soon collapse as the population has already reached a saturation point. We do have a moral duty to look after our fellow men, but should we curb our own development to rectify the failure of other states?

`Reuben