Domestic Migration in India: Trends, Challenges, and Insights (GS Paper 1, Society)
Overview:
- Domestic migration within India has seen a noticeable decline in recent years. From 2011 to 2023, the total number of migrants dropped by 11.78%.
- This change is explored in a new working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) titled “400 Million Dreams!”.
- This article looks into the reasons for this slowdown, the methodology used to track migration, and key insights from the report.
Why is this Relevant Now?
- Recent studies indicate that domestic migration has slowed, which has significant implications for economic and social dynamics in India.
- The EAC-PM's paper highlights important shifts in migration trends, offering a comprehensive analysis of the patterns and underlying factors driving this change.
Understanding Migration
Migration refers to the movement of people from one place to another, either within a country (domestic migration) or across countries (international migration). It can occur for various reasons, such as economic opportunities, political instability, or natural disasters.
Types of Migration:
- Internal Migration: Movement within the country, which can be rural-to-urban, intra-state, or inter-state.
- International Migration: Movement across national borders.
- Voluntary Migration: Migration based on personal choice, such as seeking better work opportunities.
- Forced Migration: Migration due to factors beyond control, like conflict or natural disasters.
- Temporary Migration: Short-term migration, often for seasonal work.
- Permanent Migration: Long-term migration aimed at settling in a new location.
- Reverse Migration: The return of people to their original place of residence after a period of migration.
Methodology Used by the EAC-PM
To analyze migration trends, the EAC-PM relied on alternative data sources due to delays in the national Census data collection:
- Indian Railway Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS): Used to estimate passenger movements.
- TRAI Mobile Roaming Data: Provided insights into seasonal migration patterns.
- District-level Banking Data: Analyzed remittance flows as a proxy for migration.
These datasets allowed for a more timely understanding of migration trends, supplementing the lack of up-to-date Census data.
Key Findings from the EAC-PM Report
The report reveals several crucial trends in internal migration in India:
- Declining Migration Numbers: The total number of internal migrants decreased from 45.57 crore in 2011 to 40.20 crore in 2023. The migration rate dropped from 37.64% in 2011 to 28.88% in 2023. This indicates a slowdown in migration over the past decade.
- Economic Factors: The decline in migration is linked to the improvement in economic opportunities across smaller cities and rural areas. With better infrastructure, educational facilities, and healthcare options, more people are finding opportunities closer to home, reducing the need to migrate to larger cities.
- Shifts in Migration Destinations: While states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh remain key destinations, others like West Bengal and Rajasthan have seen significant growth in migrant arrivals. This reflects a broader shift in economic activity, with growth moving to regions that were not traditionally seen as major migration hubs.
- Seasonal Migration: Migration patterns follow a seasonal cycle, with peaks during April-June and secondary peaks in November-December. However, recent data indicates a reduction in passenger movement during these high-migration months, with May 2023 showing 6.67% fewer passengers compared to May 2012.
- Top Origin and Destination Areas: Major urban centers such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore continue to be key sources of migration. Conversely, cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Howrah, and Hyderabad are the top destinations for migrants.
Challenges in Tracking Migration Data
- A significant challenge in understanding domestic migration is the lack of regular and detailed data.
- Reports such as the MoSPI’s "Migration in India 2020-21" and the MoHUPA’s 2017 report on migration reveal the limitations of current data collection systems.
- Accurate, granular, and frequent migration data is crucial for developing effective policies.
Conclusion
- The slowdown in domestic migration reflects positive economic developments in smaller cities and rural areas, where people now have access to better opportunities.
- However, this also highlights the pressing need for improved migration data systems to understand migration trends and their implications better.
- Timely and accurate data will be essential for policymakers to address the challenges and harness the benefits of migration effectively.
- This shift in migration dynamics underscores the importance of a comprehensive and efficient data collection strategy to keep pace with evolving migration patterns.
