A recent study of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) throws light on many interesting facets of migration and reverse migration after the four-phased, 68-day national lockdown (between 24 March and 31 May) in Asia’s third largest economy, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
The study is based on feedback from 397 reverse migrants from 35 districts in seven Indian states which had seen the maximum flow of reverse migration.
The seven states are Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Rajasthan.
The survey was conducted between 24 May and 2 June, 2021, amidst the second wave of the pandemic.
What are the key findings of this survey?
# WHY MIGRATION?: The reverse migrants were originally low-income earners and marginal earners in their native places. 72% of the migrants were earning Rs6,000 per month where they lived before migration.
# DID MIGRATION HELP?: Of course, it did. After migration, almost all of them started earning more. Only 1.5% of the respondents reported earnings of less than Rs6,000 per month. They earned and saved well. Average savings were Rs7,845 and average remittance Rs6422.
# WHAT DID THEY DO IN CITIES? : Most of them were casual labourers or self-employed in cities without any social security or job contract. Many had worked in the construction sector.
# WHY REVERSE MIGRATION?: 3 % of respondents returned to villages for employment under MNREGA; 40% for drop in income; 42% under family/peer pressure to be with the community; 63% because of the Covid pandemic in cities; and 70% for lack of employment.
# LIFE AFTER REVERSE MIGRATION : At least 62% of the reverse migrants had access to subsidized food; 79% were not aware of any development activities near their villages.
Only 20% of the respondents are aware of skill development programmes near their villages.
# LIFE AFTER REVERSE MIGRATION: 41% of the reverse migrants relied on agriculture for livelihood. 16% of them found work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee (MNREGA) scheme.
At least 70% of the respondents saw a drop in income. 48% of them used their savings to overcome difficulties while 22% borrowed to tide over the tough time.
Of the respondents who borrowed, only 16% accessed credit from formal sources.
At least 12% of them are unemployed.
# WHAT NEXT?: 55% of the reverse migrants want to return to cities.
The pull is higher income opportunities. 14% of the respondents are attracted to better infrastructure in urban India; 14% see limited use of the skill they have acquired in cities; 41% see job opportunities in Cities; 61% feel they could earn more in urban pockets.
# WHY MANY STILL DON’T WANT TO RETURN TO CITIES?: 25% of the respondents wish to stay back in the village.
The main trigger for staying back is concern for safety due to the pandemic. 13% see lack of livelihood opportunities in urban India post pandemic; 6% don’t want to go back to cities because of family pressure and children’s education in villages; 5% say they have multiple skills which can be used in their villages for earning livelihood; and 3% own land and/or livestock.
Around 20% are still indecisive.
