MIGRATE LABOUR IN

PUNJAB

MEANING OF LABOUR MIGRATION

• Human migration entails movement of people from one locality or location to another, sometimes over long distances and in large groups. Migration of people occurs for various reasons: exodus during ethnic conflict, natural disaster, political instability, economic hardship as well as search for economic and social improvement, betterment of livelihood and so on

RATIONALE

• People at the senior administration level in State Government view it from their objectives of State’s Development, Management, Law & Order etc.

• Local community view this (at times) with doubts/suspicion for their self interest. Migrants are looked more as problems a threat for locals.

PUNJAB STATE

OVERVIEW

• The state of Punjab is located on the northwestern border of India.

• Punjab is divided into three regions - Majha, Malwa and Doaba. The administrative set-up comprise of twenty (20) districts and 141 blocks, within which there are 12,673 villages and 134 towns.

• Punjab has recorded an above average growth rate of 10 percent over the years.

• The state also has the distinction of being the state with highest per capita income in India (Economic Survey, Govt. of Punjab, 2006-2007)

• Punjab is primarily an agricultural state. The state has recorded highest yield per hectare of wheat, rice, cotton and Bajra. The per capita milk and egg production is highest in the country

• The state has in fact, is often referred as ‘granary of India’. In 2006-2007, Punjab contributed 75% of wheat and 30% of rice to the central pool of food grains (Economic Survey, 2006-2007, Govt. of Punjab).

STATE ECONOMY

MIGRATION IN

PUNJAB

Last usual

place of

residence

Rural Punjab Urban Punjab

Number Share Number Share

Andhra

Pradesh

0.0 0% 0.0 0%

Assam 0.0 0% 1.9% 0%

Bihar 56.9 31% 194.6 34%

Chhatisgarh 0.0 0% 9.6 2%

Delhi 1.1 1% 13.8 2%

Gujarat 0.1 0% 1.5 0%

Harayana 22.3 12% 26.7 5%

Himachal

Pradesh

12.8 7% 21.7 4%

Jharkhand 12.2 7% 0.2 0%

Madhya

Pradesh

3.6 2% 2.9 1%

Rajasthan 11.5 6% 14.7 3%

UP 41.1 23% 264.9 46%

Estimated number of migrant workers(1000) in Punjab

Source:-Research study by Faith healthcare private Limited (2009)

  Ludhiana(urban)  

  Workers(000)  

Total workers 539.6 100.0%

Local workers 178.2 33.0%

Migrant workers 361.4 67.0%

Ludhiana – Important industrial district with large number of migrant labours.

Male migrant workers in Ludhiana,2001

Source:-census of India,2001 series B Econimic tables and D Migration tables

CAUSES OF MIGRATION

1. ECONOMIC FACTORS2. DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS3. SOCIO-CULTURAL

FACTORS

ECONOMIC FACTORThe basic economic factors which

motivate migration may be further classified as ‘Push Factors’ and ‘Pull Factors’•The push factors are those that compel a person, due to different reasons, to leave that place and go to some other place1.LOW PRODUCTIVITY2.UNEMPLOYEMENT & UNDERDEVELOPMENT3.POOR ECONOMIC CONDITIONS4.LACK OF OPPURTUNITIES FOR ADVANCEMENT5.NATURAL CALAMITIES

The Pull factors refer to those factors which attract the migrants to an area, such as: 1.OPPORTUNITIES FOR BETTER EMPLOYMENT 2.HIGHER WAGES 3.BETTER FACILITIES4.BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS AND AMENITIES

DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORSThe differences in the rates of

population increase between the different regions of a nation have been found to be a determinant in the internal migration. SOCIO-CULTURAL

FACTORSImproved communication facilities, such as, transportation, impact of the television, the cinema, the urban oriented education and resultant change in attitudes and values also promote migration.Social and cultural factors also play an important role in migration.

MIGRATION TO DIFFERENT SECTORS

1: INDUSTRIAL SECTOR

2: AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

MIGRATION TO DIFFERENT SECTORS

3: SUGAR INDUSTRY

4: BRICK KILNS

MIGRATION TO DIFFERENT SECTORS

5: MIGRATION IN CONSTUCTION

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH LOCAL POPULATION BY LABOUR MIGRATION

1. REDUCTION IN WAGE RATE

2. CREATING COMPETITION

3. REDUCTION IN RESOURSES

4. UNHYGENIC ENVIRONMENT AND DISEASES

CAUSE

5. INCREASE IN AREA POPULATION

6. DRUG ABUSE

8. INCREASE IN CRIME

IMPACT OF MIGRANT LABOUR

SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEMS

FACED BY LOCALS1. Preference should be given to the local labour

first by employers.2. Again, the Minimum Wage Act should be

followed strictly. This way, the locals can not complain about the low wages.

3. Local labour should be given all facilities so that they are motivated to work.

4. The migrants should be made to obey the rules in order to maintain clean surroundings.

5. A property act should be introduced in Punjab, so that no out-of-state person can purchase property.

6. Since the migrant population is increasingly rapidly, the State Government should put restrictions on the number of family members permitted to migrate.

7. Migrants should be given accommodation only after provision of proper identification. It also needs to be done to be able to track migrants in case they are involved in any criminal acts.

CONCLUSION

A general perception of the farmers regarding migration of labour was that it has resulted in increased supply of labour, decreased wage rates and increased social tension, crime, drug menace and cultural invasion. Despite this, Punjab farmers preferred migrant labour due to their timely availability, quality of work and low wages. Some farmers preferred local labourers due to their trust worthiness and adjustment for advance payments. There is a need of government intervention to get the antecedents of migrant labour verified from their respective native states before employment by the Punjab farmers. The Government of Punjab should also maintain a demographic balance by regulating the inflow of migrants.

T H A NK Y O UT H A NK Y O U! ! ! !! ! ! !

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