Odisha drafts the ‘Nutana Sakala’ anti-trafficking policy to combat human trafficking, featuring strict asset confiscation, rehabilitation, and fast-track courts
OdishaPlus Bureau
Concerned over Odisha recording the highest number of human trafficking victims in the country for four consecutive years, the State government has drafted a comprehensive anti-trafficking policy, “Nutana Sakala” (New Dawn), proposing stringent measures ranging from community-based prevention to confiscation of assets linked to trafficking networks.
The draft policy, prepared by the Women and Child Development Department, has been circulated among senior police officials, including the Director General of Police, Director General of Crime Branch and Additional Director General of Police (Crime Against Women and Child Wing), for their comments before finalisation.
Described as Odisha’s first unified framework to tackle trafficking of women and girls, the policy is built around four pillars—prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership—to ensure a coordinated response to one of the State’s most persistent social challenges.
The move comes against the backdrop of Odisha’s disturbing trafficking profile. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, the State reported 1,475 trafficking victims in 2021, 1,120 in 2022, 1,305 in 2023 and 1,039 in 2024, consistently accounting for the highest number of victims among Indian states during the period. The annual national average stood at 6,158 victims.
The draft policy acknowledges significant shortcomings in the State’s response despite the existence of 36 Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs).
“Despite maintaining 36 Anti-Human Trafficking Units, the State has reported near-zero conviction rates in certain years, revealing a deep structural gap between rescue and justice. Women and girl children are the major victims of the evil practice,” the document states.
It identifies multiple factors contributing to trafficking, including Odisha’s predominantly rural population, widespread poverty, seasonal migration, educational disparities and the vulnerability of tribal communities. The policy notes that 83.3 per cent of the State’s population lives in rural areas, Scheduled Tribes constitute 22.85 per cent of the population, female literacy remains significantly lower than male literacy, and more than 20 lakh seasonal migrant workers leave the State annually, making them susceptible to exploitation.
The policy identifies Balangir, Bargarh, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Subarnapur, Sundargarh, Khurda, Ganjam, Puri, Gajapati, Kendrapada, Rayagada, Koraput and Nabarangpur as chronic source districts for distress migration and trafficking. Victims from these regions often fall prey to sexual exploitation, forced labour, domestic servitude and forced marriage.
To curb trafficking at its source, the government proposes preventive interventions in vulnerable communities, schools, gram panchayats and digital spaces through life-skills education, safe migration initiatives, demand-reduction campaigns and community monitoring tools such as village migration registers.
The draft also places strong emphasis on survivor-centric rehabilitation. It proposes establishment of Integrated Victim Support Centres (IVSCs) at both State and district levels to provide medical treatment, legal assistance, psychosocial counselling and referral services under a single roof.
Long-term rehabilitation would focus on six areas—livelihood, healthcare, education, housing, foster care and restoration or repatriation of survivors.
The policy also seeks to address Odisha’s poor record in prosecution. According to the document, the State recorded zero convictions in trafficking cases in 2021 despite identifying 707 survivors and arresting 65 traffickers. In 2023, only 182 of the 298 arrested persons were charge-sheeted, translating into a charge-sheeting rate of 61 per cent.
To strengthen legal action, the government proposes setting up fast-track and special courts while invoking provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, to trace, freeze and confiscate assets generated through trafficking. It also recommends amendments to Section 18(1) of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act to provide for enhanced asset confiscation and mandatory victim compensation.
The draft further proposes the creation of a non-lapsable Nutana Sakala Corpus Fund to finance anti-trafficking initiatives and survivor rehabilitation programmes. It also calls for stronger coordination among States and across national borders to dismantle trafficking networks and improve protection of women and girl children.