Bajura’s Dalit families rely on remittances from India

By Sher Bahadur Sarki,Bajura, Feb. 20: The Dalit settlement in Badega, Budhiganga Municipality-10, Bajura, has depended on India for survival for generations.

With traditional occupations disappearing and no viable livelihood options in the village, locals have had no choice but to rely on employment in India, said Rup Sarki.

He said, “There is land available for farming, but there is no irrigation facility. Due to the lack of irrigation for many years, the land remains barren every season.”

“Our grandfathers and fathers also lived in India to support us. Now, we are raising our children the same way, by earning in India and sending money back for our education and sustenance in Nepal.” The Badega settlement has over 50 Dalit families, including 40 families of Sarki, 13 of Biswokarma, and two of Nepali. 

Currently, around 250 youths from this settlement are working in various locations in India. They return home during Dashain and Tihar festivals but leave again for employment, according to Rup Sarki.

In this Dalit settlement, only a few households do not have a family member working in India. While some young men can be seen in the village during the monsoon to assist in farming, most leave soon after.

Local Batu Devi Sarki shared that her husband has lived in India for years due to the lack of employment opportunities in the village. “My husband has skills, but there is no work in the village that matches his abilities, so he has been in India for a long time. Without remittances from migrant workers, our households cannot afford daily meals,” she said.

She added that her husband returns home only during Dashain and Tihar, staying for a short time before leaving again for work in India.

Due to extreme poverty, many Dalit children in the settlement are unable to pursue higher education. Most attend school only up to Grade 10 before following their parents to India in search of jobs.

Currently, only one person from this settlement is employed in government service, while most young men work in Indian hotels and restaurants. The money they send back sustains their families in the village.

This is not just the reality of Dalit families in Badega. Other Dalit communities in Bajura, including Himali, Swamikartik, Jagannath, Budhinanda, Badimalika, Gaumul, Tribeni, and Khaptad Chededaha, face similar hardships.

Most Dalit families migrate to India for work, and since mid-December, many houses in these villages have been locked as residents leave in search of employment.

Meanwhile, the local government has failed to create job opportunities for youth and has not been able to provide proper relief to disaster victims. 

With no food security or shelter, an increasing number of Dalit families have started settling permanently in India.