Chapter 2

MIGRATION

FACTS THAT MATTER

•People move out from the place of less opportunities and inconvenience and settle in better places of living. Migration is an important factor in redistributing population over time and space.

•Over the years India has witnessed waves of both immigration and out migration.

•Migration was recorded from the 1st Census of India (1881) based on the place of birth. At present, in the census of India, migration is enumerated on two bases:

(a) Place of birth: If the places of birth is different from the place of enumeratiorn (known as Life time migrant). 30%% are represented as migrants by place of birth (2001-census).

(b) Place of residence: If the place of last residence is different from the place of enumeration (known as migrants by place of last residence). 31% as migrants by d place of last residence, 2001.


Streams of Migration

•Migration is of two types: Internal (within country) and international migration (in between countries).

Under internal migration there are four streams:

1. Rural to Rural (R - R)

2. Rural to Urban (R - V)

3. Urban to urban (U - U)

4. Urban to Rural (U - R)

•International migration is again of two types:

  1. Immigration (into a country) and Emigration (out of a country)

  2. Intra-state (within the state) & inter-state variation (between states):

•Females predominate the short distance rural to rural migration in both the types mostly related to marriage.

•Males dominate the rural to urban inter-state migration due to economic reasons.

•India also experienced external migration as well. 96% immigrants came from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Afghanistan and Iran.

•20 million people of Indian Diaspora are spread across 110 countries.


Spatial variation in Migration

•Economically well off states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, and NCT Delhi attract migrants from the weather states of U.P, and Bihar. Greater Mumbai received the largest number of immigrants


Causes of Migration

•There are many causes of migration economic/job and educational opportunities, better living conditions/environment/ socio-political/natural calamities /climate etc.

•There are two categories-push and pull factors.

(I) Push factors: These force people to leave their place of origin or residence mainly. due to poverty, lack of basic infrastructural facilities, natural disasters, etc.

(i) Pull factors: These attract people from backward/inconvenient areas from rurat to urban places for better job opportunities, education, health support etc.Work and employment is the main cause of male migration (38%) while marriage forms females (65%) to move out of their place of origin (except in Meghalaya).


Consequences of Migration

•Migration is a response to the uneven distribution of opportunities over space it creates both benefits and problems for both the areas (place of origin and destination

•Consequences are sub divided as under:

(a) Economic Consequences

•Remittance's sent by in migrants is a major source of income for the place of origin

• It is a source of foreign exchange for the country.

•Though internal remittances are less compared to international, but they play a crucial role in the local economy's growth.

•It is used for food, repayment of debts, marriage, health, education etc. etc.

•This is the life line for the poor villagers of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, AndhraPradesh, Himachal Pradesh etc.

•These migrants were instrumental in the Success of Green Revolution' in Punjab and Haryana.

•Negative Impacts in the form of overcrowding and development of slums in the industrially developed states.


(b) Demographic Consequences

•It leads to redistribution of the population and sometime creates imbalance in the age and sex ratio.

•Age and sex selective out migration from the rural areas have adverse effects on the rural demographic structure.


(c) Social Consequences:

•Migration opens the arena of social exchange of ideas, thoughts, knowledge and technology, family planning, education (girls) etc. Awareness is generated from the urban areas to the rural places.

•Migration has positive impact on the different cultures due to intermixing of people. It opens up new vistas.

•On the contrary, it also has negative impacts. It leads to social vacuum and

sense of dejection among individuals, sometimes leading to anti social activities crime and drug abuse.


(d) Environmental Consequences

•Rural-urban migration leads to extra pressure on the existing social and physical infrastructures of the urban areas leading to unplanned growth and slums.

• Over exploitation of natural resources leads to acute problem of depletion of ground water, air pollution, disposal of sewage and management of solid wastes.

(e) Others

•Male selective out migration leaving their wives behind puts extra physical and mental pressure on the women in the rural areas.

•Loss of human resource from the place of origin is a serious cost that they pay for remittances that they receive.

•The advanced skill market has become global and the developed nations are one hiring the trained ones from the poor countries.

•Though migration of women enhances their autonomy but also enhances their vulnerability. The mindset needs to be changed in this regard.



We hope CBSE/MP Board Class 12th "Geography Part B " Chapter 2 "Migration" will help you.

Written By - HIMANSHU SHARMA