A study reveals that in three districts – Pauri, Tehri, and Almora, more than 10% of the population has migrated to other places after 2011. Similarly, more than 10% of villages of the same districts have seen an exodus. This study further shows that migration is mainly internal – from the mountainous districts to urban centers, within the districts, or within the state. About 734 villages are depopulated, and in 367 villages, the population has decreased by more than 50%. Unemployment is the major problem in rural areas as more than 50% of out-migration occurred for reasons of employment.

Apart from this, most of the economic opportunities are to be found concentrated in plain areas of the State, leading to huge income inequalities across the hill and plain districts of the State. Per capita income (measured in terms of per capita net District Domestic Product) in Pauri, Bageshwar, Champawat, Tehri Garhwal, and  Almora districts is almost half of that in Dehradun and Haridwar. Due to this lopsided development, the pace of out-migration from the hill districts of the state could not be slowed down after the state's formation. Historically, these districts had well-developed social indicators in comparison to many other districts of the State, but due to continuous migration, not only social indicators but even cultural and social heritage of this land called ‘ Dev Bhoomi’ is being affected adversely.

Central and state governments are continuously working in this area to change the scenario but in spite of several efforts made by the governments these areas have not seen very significant development, and the disparities are increasing day by day. We don't intend to imply that governments are doing nothing to eradicate the problems but believe that due to demographic challenges of hilly regions it becomes difficult to even for the government to deal with regional problems efficiently.

Unemployment, education, and healthcare are the main issues due to which villagers continue to migrate. Migrating people know that there is observable better access to employment, health, and education in non-hilly regions.

To protect the rich social and cultural heritage of the state it is important to encourage people to reverse migration. At ‘ Foundation’ it is our aim to support and facilitate better healthcare and educational facilities as well as to generate employment opportunities and develop a spirit of entrepreneurship in ‘Pahadi’ people with the help of our various awareness, training, and welfare programs.  

Main Objectives

• Mobilizing poor households into functionally effective SHGs and their federations.
• Enhancing access to bank credit and financial, technical, and marketing services.
• Building capacity and skills for gainful and sustainable livelihood.
• Addressing vulnerabilities linked to food security, health security, etc., and helping meet the needs of vulnerable persons in villages.
• Ensuring inclusion of identified rural poor households in functionally effective social institutions, with particular focus on more vulnerable sections.
• Motivating poor households to join institutions that provide them with voice, space, and resources. These platforms would partner with local self-governments, public service providers, banks, the private sector, and other mainstream institutions to facilitate the delivery of social and economic services to the needy.
• Enhancing capabilities – Elementary education, vocational, technical education, skills enhancement, etc.
• Creating livelihoods opportunities – Institutional finance, Agriculture, animal husbandry, watersheds, MSME development, food processing, etc.
• Vulnerability reduction and ‘livelihood enhancement’ through additions to existing livelihoods options and by tapping new opportunities in farm and non-farm sectors.
• Employment - building skills for the job market.
• Farming systems improvement.
• Value addition and marketing support.
• Empowering forest-fringe communities, particularly women, through sustainable livelihoods and ensuring positive involvement of rural people in managing their own environment.
• Planning and implementing site-specific technical and scientific forestry interventions, including soil and moisture conservation, restocking of degraded areas through appropriate silvicultural operations utilizing the inherent potential of available rootstock, underplanting with suitable species, block plantations in blank patches. Promoting inter-sectoral convergence.