Uttarakhand govt to hold ‘Pravasi Panchayats’ to boost reverse migration from hill villages

The Uttarakhand government will organise a series of Pravasi Panchayats (Migrants’ Conclave) to initiate its long-term goal of reverse migration in the state’s hill villages. The Uttarakhand Rural Development and Migration Prevention Commission (URDMPC) has readied an action plan to organise a congregation of migrants in all 13 districts of the state between April and November 2026.

For the first time, the URDMP has prepared an action plan for the “Pravasi Panchayats”, with the first such gathering scheduled in Tehri on April 24. According to SS Negi, who heads the URDMPC, the primary goal of the conclave of non-resident natives of the state will be to facilitate direct interaction with the migrants willing to return to their ancestral villages in the hill areas. Significantly, the URDMPC has been striving to devise measures to prevent migration from the state’s hill villages and rehabilitate those who have settled in other parts of the country for the past seven to eight years.

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Over 1,000 hill villages in Uttarakhand have become depopulated over the past 25 years, turning into ghost villages, while around 1500 more are on the verge of facing a similar fate. The decline has been driven mainly by a lack of employment opportunities, as well as inadequate health and educational facilities.

To address this, the URDMPC’s plan for “Pravasi Panchayats” aims to encourage migrants living in other parts of the state and the country to return to their ancestral villages. According to Negi, migrants attending the conclave will be informed about government schemes and facilities to promote self-employment, skill utilisation, and the development of both their communities and personal livelihoods. The Pravasi Panchayats will be held in every district of the state, beginning with Tehri on April 24.

Commission officials stated that the inspiration to organise the Migrants’ Conclave came from the large number of migrants who returned to their native places during the COVID-19 period. These returnees successfully engaged in developmental activities, applying the skills and experiences they had gained at their workplaces. According to URDMPC vice chairman SS Negi, many of them are now excelling in sectors such as agriculture and horticulture, including spice cultivation, aromatic crops, floriculture, and mushroom production.

Several returnees are also involved in agri-allied activities such as beekeeping, animal husbandry, and dairy farming, while others have ventured into operating homestays, hotels, and restaurants. During the Migrants’ Conclaves, successful individuals will share their experiences and insights in self-employment to inspire others. The blueprint for the Pravasi Panchayats has been finalised, and by November, these conclaves will be held across all districts of the state. At the district level, departmental officers will provide detailed information about government self-employment schemes to help participants plan their return to their native villages, Negi said.