Migration is as old as
human civilization. In the old time men traveled far in search of food. They
shifted their agriculture and traveled across clearing forests. Migration is the
reason that the human civilization which started in Africa could reach other
parts of the world. The present day migration is different from those of the
prehistoric times. Men today travel in search of better jobs, better facilities
and better living. There are also cases where people are replaced from their
place of living to new destinations because of natural calamities like flood,
drought and so on. War displaces a huge population as refugees. Migrating
population also carry their culture with them. This results in mix of culture.
When they come back to their original place of birth they bring back the
culture of the place that they had migrated to.
There are several
reasons for migration. The reasons are broadly classified as “push” and “pull”
factors. The push factors are those conditions, in the place of residence of
the population that are averse for a comfortable living. Pull factors are those
conditions in the place that people are migrating to which attract them to that
host place. In case of women migration is largely as a result of marriage in
India. Migration is categorised as “internal” and “external”. Internal
migration is when people migrate within the country. External migration is when
people migrate to other countries. International migration is happening for
centuries. The present percentage is below 3% and is not higher than 100 years
ago[1]
In India the high
regional disparity leads to large scale migration. The northern states like
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa and the states in the North-East have poor
infrastructural facilities. People migrate from these states in search of
better employment opportunities. They also get better facilities such as better
education, health service and the like. The seasonal nature of Indian
agriculture also results in large scale migration during lean monsoon season.
These farmers work as unskilled manual labourers in infrastructural projects in
the cities. This internal migration is seen in large scale in India. Studies
have shown that the migration is mostly intra-state. In states of Chattisgarh
and Jharkhand political unrest due to Naxalism is presently seen as a reason
for migration.
In contrary Maharashtra,
Gujarat and southern states have better development. People migrate from other
states to these places. The industrialisation and urbanisation has made them
better destinations for employment opportunities. The better infrastructure
promises the migrating population better livelihood. The migrants are most
sought after in the cities as they are willing to work for lower wages. It does
create a pressure on the labour market and leads to social unrest as
differences between the locals and the migrants emerge.
In spite of continuous
efforts from the government the urban-rural divide continuous to exist.
Programs like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme
(MGNREGA) and Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) still leaves
behind the development of the villages. Cities continue to attract migrants
from the villages. The job in the cities bring additional source of income and
provide better livelihood opportunities. The landless poor are attracted to the
cities in large scale. These temporary migrants live in slums in urban places.
The condition of such settlements is very poor. They live on pavements and are
seen as extension of urban poor. They do
not get facilities like access to public distribution system. In spite of such
conditions migrants continue to flock to cities. The availability of school and
healthcare is better than villages. They get better exposure by which they
learn about other opportunities. This shows the importance of the seasonal
migration for these people. Instead of seeing migration as a menace it should
be used as a better opportunity for providing proper services to these people.
Better healthcare, education facilities for their children and protect them
from indiscriminate contractors. They should be provided with better
opportunities for social inclusion.
India is the most
developed country in South-east Asia. So migrants from neighbouring countries
come to India for employment opportunities. And in the case of India the porous
borders increase the problem of illegal immigrants. These immigrants though
have cultural proximity with us still carry their national identities with
them. Though there are cultural similarities with neighbours, illegal
immigration brings its own problems. It is used by terrorists, fundamentalists
and is used by foreign powers to encroach on our territory.
Globalisation leads to
migration and migration leads to globalisation. Globalisation has both positive
and negative effects. One of the most important effects is the socio-economic
effects. The culture and identity controversy of globalisation is one of the
most important as it deals with the ordinary people and not governments or
policy makers. When the protest against the migration is done by the local
population one of the emphases is on the dilution of their culture. The new
culture that the immigrants bring in is thought to erode the local culture.
Globalisation makes people aware of the entire world in their living room. The
choices of countries that people migrate to are made depending on their
knowledge. People choose to go to high income countries where there are better
living standards.
Globalisation has also changed
the way people migrate. People are more aware of the opportunities. Women from
Asia migrate to the gulf. They get opportunities in the service sector. They
send back remittances that improve the economic and social status of their
family. More and more people in Asia and Africa will be living in the urban
areas. The developed countries are having aging population. They require a lot
of skilled and unskilled workers. The World Bank estimates that by 2025 migration
could provide over US140$ billion to poor countries[2].
Much of this comes from migration of unskilled population.
Policies on migration
are based on economic constraints till date. But now the focus is shifting
towards the social side of it. Governments think about how the cultures will
blend and what practice of the migrant population to allow and what not to. In
some countries it’s been made mandatory for the immigrant population to adopt
the local language and culture.
People should develop
multiple and complementary identities as citizens of the world as well as
citizens of a state and members of a cultural group. There is a need to
recognise different identities and strength commitments of being citizens of
the world. A peaceful society can be created only by shared values,
communication and commitment. Cooperation is better when there are shared
values. Culture is about universal human rights and respect for others freedom,
equality and dignity. There is a need to respect the differences of others
cultures. It’s next to impossible for one to have just one identity. In a
complex country like India people have multiple identities. One based on religion,
one based of language we speak, one based on caste and so on.
Differences among
cultures are sometimes caused because of difference in economic power. Some cultures
with better economic standard dominates those that are weak. Immigrants are a
source of economic wealth. New population is needed to work in labour intensive
industries. Countries like Japan where the younger population is less needs new
immigrants from other parts of the world. Immigrants are a source of skill,
labour and ideas. They add value to the society.
The state of Bihar and
Uttar Pradesh are underdeveloped compared to other states in India. These two
are agriculture depended. Agriculture in India is depended on monsoon. There
are lean season when agriculture work is not there. The infrastructures
available in these two states are very less. Schools, hospitals are other
primary necessities are missing. Large scale illiteracy affects the overall
socio-economic pattern of a state. There is high Infant Mortality Rate (IMR),
Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and even cases of polio in these states. The high
population density is another reason. When people from these places migrate to
other states which has developed they get exposure to the actual development.
The availability of infrastructure in these states enriches the life of the
migrants. Inspite of the fact that the migrants leave their home and live in
deplorable conditions in slums it still attracts them. Their children get
better schools, get better medical facilities.
In some cases they send back money to their
family. In such cases the family maintain the agricultural land and this money
is an additional income for the family. This improves their economic condition.
They are able to provide better facilities for their family. As the economic
condition of the family improves their social conditions also improves.
Exposure to city life improves their knowledge and reduces the narrow
mindedness of the people. They send their girl child to school; use proper
medical facilities for their ailments, come out of superstitious practices.
The status of women has
changed highly after migration. Late marriages have been reported in tribal
districts of Chhattisgarh and Orissa. They are more open to travel outside
their home. They are open to other cultures. Living in city reduces the
difference between cultures, castes and religion.
One example of economic
development leading to better living standards is Kerala. People of Kerala have
long migrated to the gulf countries. They send back their remittance to their
family. It has an effect on the social status of the people. Kerala has almost
reached 100% literacy rate. With improvement in education and economic standard
other things improve. They have better health care, very less IMR and IMR,
almost total proper sanitation facilities. It also improves their political
influence. They are more aware of the happenings of the country living
thousands of miles away than their poor counterpart living in some states. They
take part in many activities of charity and contribute on a large scale for the
development of their people.
The developed world has
less population in terms of demographic dividend and also in terms of people
willing to work in low paid jobs. People from developing countries migrate to
fill in the gap. This makes a great effort to reduce poverty in those
countries. Recent survey found 50-80% of rural African households had at least
one migrant member working in another part of the country in which they live[3]. Poor
people migrate internally more than externally. People better off in a place
migrate to other countries. The migrated population make investment in their
country which improves the local condition and better availability of jobs for
the poorer people.
Migration brings about
gender equality. Marriage no more remains as the sole reason for migration of
women. Women have started migrating for work. They get a self-identity and are no
more dependent on the male family members. The economic independence and their
exposure make them take the right choice for their family. Husbands give them
equal importance and treat them with more respect.
There is a change in
social attitude of the migrating population. They learn new behaviours and
ideas form the host nation. In a family, men and women share work equally.
Migration helps in social inclusion. When people travel to other parts they get
exposure to new technologies, banking, internet, mobile telephones and other
things available in the cities only. It reduces the difference in exposure
between the rich and the poor. In a city every person has a mobile phone; there
is cable television available in every household including the slums. Migration
is one reason for these facilities reaching the interior parts of a country.
When migrated population goes back to its original place of residence they
bring along with them these technologies or the knowledge about these
technologies.
There are problems
attached to migration. There are cultural differences when a migrant population
settles in a new place. They have to take in the culture of the new place and
have adjustment issues to the new pace of life. Most migration is to cities
where the pace of life is much faster than the villages. The villagers when
they migrate to cities they leave behind their culture, sometimes their family.
This puts them in a lot of psychological pressure. When there is external
migration it’s much more difficult. It is mostly entirely new language and even
people and climate is totally different. When migration brings cheap labour to
the host place there is a spread of discontent among the people of the host
nation or the city. It’s a pressure on the labour market. This creates
xenophobia at times and leads to clashes. Mostly these clashes are politically
motivated. The government has to sensitize the host about the necessity of
migration and also policies to protect migrant population.
Migration should not be
a source of bonded labour. It is the duty of the government to protect them
from mafias and other underground contractors. Unprotected migration leads to
human trafficking. Though migration leads to socio-economic development it’s
not all white. There is black side of it where in case of forced migration
sometimes results in low paid work. They are forced to live in pavements in
deplorable conditions. Children of such migrants do not attend schools and grow
up in pavements. They have no proper sanitation facilities. They do not go to
hospitals for medical check-ups as it takes too long in the government run
hospitals. Their contractors do not give them off as they are on per day
contract. Their work today helps them to get work tomorrow.
When there is internal
migration it’s the government’s role to provide them with facilities such as
provision of goods from public distribution system, enrolment of their children
in the local schools and healthcare facilities. Migration has become a
necessity of the time. It’s not possible to stop it. It’s only possible to make
policies to stop illegal migration from neighbouring countries. Illegal
migration leads to clandestine activities. In case of internal migration the
people have to understand that those who migrate are also the citizens of our
country and migration leads to socio-economic development of the whole country.
When a migrant population comes to a city they in-turn facilitate the
development of business in the place, they spend money buying various things
and take part in the economy of the city.
Migration helps in
cross fertilization of various cultures. It helps in spreading ideas of
political, social change. It helps to spread the idea of democracy and equal
rights for all. In case of external migration the host country should be
sensitive to the cultural practice of the migrant population. There should not
be forceful restrictions on their practices as long as it does not affect the
population. The migrant population should also be open to some changes to adapt
to the new cultural practices of the home country. It’s essential for a
peaceful coordinated life. Continuous clashes make the life more miserable. It
is essential to manage that there are no ethnic clashes and also develop the
villages in such a way that the population is not forced to migrate due to lack
of amenities. Migration if any should be by choice to move out of the place of
residence.
REFERENCES:
Globalisation and
cultural choice, Human Development Report 2004.
International Migration
policy: issues and perspectives for India, Binod Khadria, Perveen Kumar,
Shantanu Sarkar and Rashmi Sharma.
Migration initiative
2012, International Organisation for Migration.
Moving out of
poverty-making migration work for poor people, department of International Development.
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