Migration and issues associated with Migration

Migration and issues associated with Migration in India

"Migration is an expression of the human aspiration for dignity, safety and better future. It is a part of social fabric, part of our very make-up as a human family"

Ban Ki-Moon

"Migration has been politicised before it has been analysed"

★  Concept

★  Types of Migration

1. Based on Duration (Permanent, Semi-Permanent and Circular/Seasonal migration)
2. Based on Destination (Internal and International migration)

★  Causes of the Migration

★  Issues associated with the Migration

★  Statistics

★  Consequences

★  Way forward

Migration - It is the third component of Population change. It refers to geographical mobility between one region to another involving change in residence for a considerable period of time.

Migrants - According to census, a person residing in a place other than his place is birth is termed as migrant.

In other word it can also be defined as, a person who has changed his usual place of residence to another place (i.e., the place of last residence is different from the current one) is termed as migrant.

As per the recent data, there are approx. 450 Million internal migrants (inter-district migrant, intra-district migrant, inter-state migrant, etc)

Types of Migration

1.   Based on duration

1. Permanent migration
2. Semi-permanent migration
3. Circular/Seasonal migration

Permanent Migration - When people migrate from source to destination region for a very long period of time without any intention of coming back, it is termed as permanent migration.

Semi-permanent Migration - It is a type of migration where the migrant is forced to come back to the source region from destination due to following reasons -

• High cost of living in destination region (such as Mumbai, Delhi, etc).
• Lack of employment opportunity in destination region (or lack of skill to get employment in destination region).

Seasonal Migration - It is a type of migration where migrants move from place to place in search of employment.

It is also defined as, a type of migration where migrants continue returning to same place year after year (like in agricultural activity where work is available in certain months of reaping, harvesting, etc.).

Here, the permanent resident remains the same but the location of economic activities changes.

2.   Based on destination 

1. Internal Migration
1. Rural to Rural Migration
2. Rural to Urban Migration
3. Urban to Urban Migration
4. Urban to Rural Migration (Counter Migration)
2. International Migration (dealt in International Relations)

Premise 

• Large exodus of migrants during lockdown period.
• These are seasonal migrants (According to Economic Survey 2017, there are 139 Million seasonal migrants in India).
• They dominate low paying, hazardous, informal job market such as construction, hotel, textile, manufacturing, domestic work, transportation, etc.

Causes of the Migration 

1.   Economic Causes 

1. Source region (Push factor)
• Agricultural distress
• Lack of alternate employment opportunity
• Lack of infrastructure
• Less remunerative character of agriculture
2. Destination region (Pull factor)
• Industrialisation
• Globalisation
• Commercialisation of agriculture (due to Green Revolution)
• High standard of living
• Better infrastructure

Counter Migration 

1. Source region (Pull back factor)
• Government schemes for socio-economic development of source region.
• Counter magnets
2. Destination region (Push back factor)
• Congestion and Overcrowding
• Pollution
• Limited income opportunity
• High cost of living
• Poor standard of living
• Repetition of Social disability (due to Ghettoization)

Counter Magnets - 

There are some areas where there are too much availability of resources → Skewed Migration

For example - Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Punjab, etc (since they are developed).

To counter Skewed-Migration, the concept of Counter Magnet is introduced. It involves development in other region to divert the migration from one region (eg. Delhi) to that region (eg. Noida).

2.   Socio-Cultural Causes 

1. Push Factor
• Differential access to resources with respect to language, ethnicity, etc.
• Caste based distinctions.
• Low status of women due to patriarchy.
• Dysfunction of family
2. Pull Factor
• Urbanisation which is characterised by Anonymity, Individualism, Hetwrogenity, etc.
• Marriage

Counter Migration 

1. Pull back factors
• Feeling of nativism
• Family reunification
2. Push back factors
• Lack of cultural integration
• Ghettoization on basis of cultural identities
• Replication of inequalities

3.   Political Causes 

1. Push factors
• Violence
• Corruption
• Lack of implementation of development schemes
• Development led displacement policies of government
2. Pull factors
• Political freedom
• Safety and Security
• Good governance
• Increase opportunity of political participation

Counter Migration 

1. Pull back factors
• Strengthening of local governance
• Change in political leadership
2. Push back factors
• Son of Soil policy
• State led persecution (an act of omission/commission of state which has caused distress and because of that certain community migrates)

Consequences of Migration 

At Source region 

1. Economic Consequences
• Loss of human resources
• If migration draws surplus population then its win-win situation at source region.
• Provides opportunity to source region to employ greater forces in improving economic condition of reduced population.
• Benefits of remittances.
2. Demographic Consequences
• Dependent population (old people, women and children) increases.
• Feminisation of work
• Birth rate declines
• High probability of child labour
3. Socio-Cultural Consequences
• It acts as an agent of social change.
• New ideas get diffused to source regions.
• Absence of adult males may cause dislocation of family, dual burden on women, violence against women, etc.
• Dilution of indigenous culture in destination area.
• The role of family (as a social agent for children) declined.
4. Political Consequences
• Political participation/representation declines
• For example - Ghost hamlets in Uttarakhand.

At Destination region 

1. Migrants are perceived to take away jobs of locals and thus the competition for scarce amenities and resources starts between locals and migrants which might become violent.
2. Slum proliferation
3. Increase in rate of crimes
4. Insulation on part of natives against cultural integration
5. Cosmopolitan culture and broadening of mental horizons
6. Skewed sex ration (as there are usually male specific migration)
7. Regional politics (Son of soil policy)
8. Failure of state administration due to excessive population
9. Increase incidences of natives vs migrants.

Issues associated with Migration 

1. Devoid of skills, information and bargaining power, migrants are often caught in exploitative labour arrangement.
2. Non-portability of entitlement (one nation one ration card will solve this problem to some extent).
3. Problems are aggravated in the absence of proper documentation.
4. Hardship magnifies when state boundaries are crossed (issue of marginal man).
5. They are easy victim of identity politics.
6. They are out of bounds of government and civil society due to absence of credible data (especially with respect to seasonal migrants).
7. Problems of intergeneration transmission of poverty.
8. Lack of access to resources for basis survival (problem of housing, health care, education in destination area).
9. Issue of social exclusion, population exclusion, economic exploitation, etc.

Positive impacts on migrants 

1. Social mobility, Social capital, Social tolerance, better opportunity for innovation, etc.

Social capital - trust, faith and mutual cooperation.

Way forward 

1. Judicial implementation of inter-state migrant workmen act 1979.
2. Portability of benefits (One nation, One ration card scheme)
3. Universal food grains distribution (One nation One Ration card)
4. Providing skills to migrant labour to reduce their vulnerability in labour market.
5. Active participation of NGOs and Civil Society to drive away mistrust between natives and migrants.
6. Developing source region to address issues of rapid and skewed migration.
7. Politicisation of migration needs to be checked.
8. Mapping of migrant workers (credible data for effective policy making).
9. Inter-state coordination committee
10. Target specific intervention (not one size fit all approach).

Issues for Migrants due to Covid-19 

1. Uncertainty and depression - Due to this many migrants left for home town by foot or crowded trains and buses.
2. Disruption of agricultural cycle - Most of the seasonal migrants used to leave for source region before June to prepare for sowing season.
3. Lack of health infrastructure - Absence of facilities such as testing, quarantine has further aggravated the situation.
4. Apprehension from source region - Native states such as West Bengal do not want workers to come back.
5. Increasing unemployment - According to ILO, about 400 Million people are at the risk of losing jobs (espesically to those who are working in informal economy).

Question for practice 

Internal migration is driven by not only the pattern of development but also the social structure of the society. Critically discuss the statement in context of Indian Society.

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