| Population |
1,61,585 |
Panchayats |
31 |
Villages |
262 |
| Main Communities |
Bhils and Garasias |
| Major Migration Streams |
Agriculture labour, brick kiln work, construction and stone carving |
| Main Destinations |
Rural areas of north Gujarat, Palanpur, Idar and Pindwara – Sumerpur belt of Sirohi district of Rajasthan |
Kotra is a large, predominantly tribal block located in the extreme south of 
Udaipur district just on the border of Gujarat. It is amongst the most poor and backward blocks of south Rajasthan with a population that is very vulnerable and under-served.The resource base of Kotra is rich in terms of forest cover but cultivation is entirely rainfed and practiced on small holding farms. The tribal migrants of Kotra find employment on a seasonal basis on Patel owned farms and are often engaged as labour in virtual bondage. Streams of migrants also head to Gujarat as construction workers, brick kiln workers and labourers in the stoneware sector.There is also large scale movement of child labour from Kotra to Bt Cotton farms in north Gujarat.
The Adivasi Vikas Manch promoted by Astha Sansthan is the main partner of Aajeevika Bureau in Kotra block.This is a community based organization with rich experience of mobilization and advocacy on several critical issues of people’s rights over resources and development.
The nature of Aajeevika Bureau's work in Kotra has tended to remain more focused on mass mobilization, awareness of legal rights and arbitration between labour agents, Gujarati landowners, and migrant labourers. The centre in Kotra has also regularly participated in campaigns to prevent themovement of child labour across the border during the pollination season. The Kotra centre works closely with the Idar centre in Gujarat and has been able to begin a process of mediated placement of agriculture labour from Rajasthan in north Gujarat.
Because of very large scale movement of labour to difficult conditions in Gujarat the thrust has also been also to find alternate job opportunities for Kotra labour in other locations. Therefore training and skill up-gradation has assumed fairly important place in Kotra. It has led the organization of block-level training rounds in masonry and house wiring and helped with the placement of youth through the organization of employment camps and events.
