posted on 2024-09-05, 22:29authored byWilliam Joe, Priyajit Samaiyar, U. S. Mishra
Decision to Migrate is mostly a choice - except in compelling
circumstances of conflict and insecurity - and therefore needs to be
examined in terms of its economic outcomes. This paper deals with
migration decisions to urban areas that are backed by economic rationale
and attempts to understand gains accruing to individuals from migration,
in terms of poverty outcomes. The analysis is based on the 55th round
survey data on Employment - Unemployment Survey 1999-2000 (EUS)
provided by the National Sample Survey Organisation. We undertake a
broad descriptive socio-economic profiling of the migrant households
in urban India and explore the dynamics of poverty among interstate as
well as intrastate migrants to urban destinations. Further, we evaluate
the impact of migration on the economic status of migrants by analysing
the characteristic of ‘duration since migration’. Considering migration
as a transition, this exercise makes a broad comparison of change in
economic status of migrants at the destination as against the origin. The
analysis reveals that migrants disadvantaged in terms of caste, education
and residence earn poorer returns to migration. While returns to migration
have proved to be positive with increased duration at the destination,
the characteristic endowment like education and social group identity
seem to make a further difference.
Keywords: Migration, Urban Poverty, India
JEL Classification: R2, I32, R23
History
Publisher
Centre for Development Studies
Citation
Joe, William, Priyajit Samaiyar & U.S. Mishra (2009) Migration and urban poverty in India : some preliminary observations. CDS working papers, no.414. Trivandrum: CDS.