MIGRATION

INTRODUCTION:
Migration (human) is the movement of people from one place in the world to another for the purpose
of taking up permanent or semi-permanent residence, usually across a political boundary. An example of
"semi-permanent residence" would be the seasonal movements of migrant farm laborers. People can
either choose to move ("voluntary migration") or be forced to move ("involuntary migration").
Migrations have occurred throughout human history, beginning with the movements of the first human
groups from their origins in East Africa to their current location in the world. Migration occurs at a
variety of scales: intercontinental (between continents), intracontinental (between countries on a
given continent), and interregional (within countries). One of the most significant migration patterns
has been rural to urban migration—the movement of people from the villages to cities in search of
opportunities.

DEFINITION

1. man migration is the movement of people from one place to another with the intentions of settling,
permanently or temporarily at a new location. The movement is often over long distances and from
one country to another, but migrations also possible; indeed, this is the dominant form globally
People may migrate as individuals, in family units or in large groups.
2. migration is the geographic movement of people across a specified boundary for the purpose of
establishing a new permanent or semi permanent residence.

PUSH FACTORS

 Not enough jobs

 Few opportunities
 Inadequate conditions
 Desertification
 Famine or drought
 Political fear or persecution
 Slavery or forced labor
 Poor medical care
 Loss of wealth
 Natural disasters
 Death threats
 Desire for more political or religious freedom
 Pollution
PULL FACTORS

 Job opportunities
 Better living conditions
 The feeling of having more political or religious freedom
 Enjoyment
 Education
 Better medical care
 Attractive climates
 Security
 Family links
 Industry
 Better chances of marrying
 Radiation
 Disease
LAWS OF MIGRATION

: Geographer E.G. Ravenstein developed a series of migration 'laws' in the 1880s that form the basis
for modern migration theory. In simple language, these principles state:

• Most migrants travel only a short distance.

• Migrants traveling long distances usually settle in urban areas.

• Most migration occurs in steps. • Most migration is rural to urban.

• Each migration flow produces a movement in the opposite direction ("counter flow").

• Most migrants are adults.

• Most international migrants are young males, while more internal migrants are female.

Impacts of Migration:

Human migration affects population patterns and characteristics, social and cultural patterns and
processes, economies, and physical environments. As people move, their cultural traits and ideas diffuse
along with them, creating and modifying cultural landscapes.

Diffusion: The process through which certain characteristics (e.g., cultural traits, ideas, disease) spread
over space and through time.

Relocation Diffusion: Ideas, cultural traits, etc. that move with people from one place to another and
do not remain in the point of origin.

Expansion Diffusion: Ideas, cultural traits, etc., that move with people from one place to another but
are not lost at the point of origin, such as language.

Cultural markers: Structures or artifacts (e.g., buildings, spiritual places, architectural styles, signs,
etc.) that reflect the cultures and histories of those who constructed or occupy them.

TYPES OF MIGRATION:

Internal Migration: Moving to a new home within a state, country, or continent.

External Migration: Moving to a new home in a different state, country, or continent.
Emigration: Leaving one country to move to another.
Immigration: Moving into a new country.
Population Transfer: When a government forces a large group of people out of a region, usually based
on ethnicity or religion. This is also known as an involuntary or forced migration.
Impelled Migration (also called "reluctant" or "imposed" migration): Individuals are not forced
out of their country, but leave because of unfavorable situations such as warfare, political problems, or
religious persecution. Step Migration: A series of shorter, less extreme migrations from a person's
place of origin to final destination—such as moving from a farm, to a village, to a town, and finally to a
city.
Chain Migration: A series of migrations within a family or defined group of people. A chain migration
often begins with one family member who sends money to bring other family members to the new
location. Chain migration results in
migration fields—the clustering of people from a specific region into certain neighborhoods or small
towns.
Return Migration: The voluntary movements of immigrants back to their place of origin.
2 MIGRATION
This is also known as circular migration. Seasonal Migration: The process of moving for a period of
time in response to labor or climate conditions (e.g., farm workers following crop harvests or working in
cities off-season).

Cause of Migration:
International migration is usually a carefully considered individual or family decision. The major
reasons to migrate to another country can be grouped into two categories: economic and noneconomic .
The factors that encourage a migrant to actually move fall into three categories: demand-pull, supply-
push, and networks. An economic migrant may be encouraged to move by employer recruitment of
guest workers, or demand-pull reasons. Migrants crossing borders for noneconomic reasons may be
moving to escape unemployment or persecution, or supply-push factors.

Process of Migration Count:

The Migration Policy Centre (MPC) at the European University Institute (EUI) believes that countries,
international organizations, and the research community can significantly improve international
migration data by implementing five recommendations:
1. (Ask basic census questions and make the data publicly available) Ask three basic questions on
every population census—about country of citizenship, country of birth, and country of previous
residence—then publish cross-tabulations of this information by age and sex.
2. (Compile and release existing administrative data) Exploit existing administrative data sources
that often contain rich and poorly utilized information on international movements.
3. (Centralize Labor Force Surveys) Compile existing data from the Labor Force Surveys of countries
around the world into a single, harmonized, frequently updated database.
4. (Provide access to microdata, not just tabulations) Provide public access to anonymous individual
records of international migrants from surveys and administrative data to allow major improvements in
the quality of research while maintaining strict confidentiality.
5. (Include migration modules on more existing household surveys) Increase the systematic use of
standardized modules of migration-related questions in ongoing household survey programs.

Migration in India: In India, more people migrate due to lack of opportunities in their native place
rather than a spirit of exploration, creating social problems in the region they move to. Several push and
pull factors exist in the country which are responsible for the large-scale migration. India has high levels
of regional disparity in terms of population distribution and development indicators. Most of the north
Indian states are poor in infrastructure facilities and are also highly populated. Hence a large number of
people from states like Uttar Pradesh, Orissa and Bihar migrate to other states in search of jobs. Low
and variable agricultural production coupled with lack of local employment opportunities are the biggest
cause of movement of people outside the state. In states like Orissa, landlessness and marginalisation of
the poor people turns out to be the main cause of them moving to other more developed regions of the
country in the hope of a better livelihood. Though factors like internal conflicts and political unrest have
not become a significant cause for migration as yet, government must guard against them in the long
run, particularly in the Naxalite belt.

Maharashtra, Gujarat, the south Indian states and other states in northern parts of the country like
Haryana, Punjab and Delhi have become attractive destinations for the migrant population. Rapid
urbanisation and industrialisation of these areas have generated more employment opportunities and also
created better infrastructure. People migrate to these regions perceiving them as greener pastures.
However several factors make them vulnerable as they enter new territories. They create pressure on the
job market and start competing with the local populate. Since migrant people are usually more willing to
work on lower wages, they dent the prospects of locals in the area getting jobs. This creates a situation
of social and ethnic unrest and has even lead to violence in many states in India.

Migration laws in India: The illegal migrants (determination by tribunal) (IMDT) act:
The Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) (IMDT) Act was Indian law enacted in 1983 by Indira
Gandhi government. It has been struck down by the Supreme Court of India in 2005.

Known as the IMDT Act (1983) it described the procedures to detect illegal immigrants (from
Bangladesh) and expel them from Assam. The Act was pushed through mainly on the grounds that it
provided special protections against undue harassment to the ―minorities‖ that were affected by the
Assam Agitation (The Assam Agitation (or Assam Movement) was a popular movement against illegal
immigrants in Assam between 1979 and 1985.). It was applicable to state of Assam only whereas in
other states, detection of foreigners is done under The Foreigners Act, 1946.

What did the act set out to do? According to this act an illegal migrant is a person who: (i) entered
India on or after March 25, 1971. (ii) was a foreigner (iii) entered India without being in possession of a
valid passport or other travel documents or any other legal authority.

The foreigners act, 1946: The Act of 1939 provides for the making of rules to regulate registration of
foreigners and formalities connected therewith, their movement in or departure from India. Whereas it is
advantageous to provide for the exercise by the Central Government of certain powers in respect of the
entry of foreigners into India, their presence therein and their departure there from.

Statement of objects and reasons of act: it is necessary that powers should be available to deal with
any person not of Indian origin who was at birth a citizen or subject of any country at war with, or
committing external aggression against India or of any other country assisting the country at war with or
committing such aggression against India but who may have subsequently acquired Indian citizenship in
the same manner as a foreigner. It is also necessary to take powers to arrest and detain and confine.
The difference between the IMDT Act and Foreigners Act: Under the IMDT Act, the responsibility
of proving one's nationality or otherwise lies on the complainant whereas under the Foreigners Act, the
responsibility is on the accused.

IMPACT OF MIGRATION IN GDP:

The experience of many developing countries shows that migration has tremendous potential to improve
human development (UNDP 2009; IOM 2015). At present, ‘more than a billion people rely on
international and internal migration to escape poverty and conflict, adapt to environmental and
economic shocks, and improve the income, health, and education of their families. Annual remittances
to developing countries alone approach $500 billion, triple the amount of official development
assistance (ODA) (Sutherland 2013). Adams and Page (2005) show that a 10 percent increase in per
capita international remittances in a developing country can lead to a 3.5 percent decline in the share of
people living in poverty. Thus, studies confirm that migration is an important pathway out of poverty.
However, compared with international migration, internal migration offers more opportunities of
increasing income and convergence of welfare, although it is less emphasized (Skeldon 2008; World
Bank 2009; Bhagat 2016). On the other hand, in the context of India, emigration also enhances social
prestige and family status which is less emphasized as researchers are mainly concerned with economic
gains (Bhagat el al 2017)

IMPACTS OF MIGRATION

Migration is becoming a very important subject for the life of cities. Many opportunities and attraction of
big cities pull large numbers of people to big cities. Migration can have positive as well as negative effects
on the life of the migrants.

Positive Impact

 Unemployment is reduced and people get better job opportunities.

 Migration helps in improving the quality of life of people.

 It helps to improve social life of people as they learn about new culture, customs, and languages
which helps to improve brotherhood among people.

 Migration of skilled workers leads to a greater economic growth of the region.

 Children get better opportunities for higher education.

 The population density is reduced and the birth rate decreases.

Negative Impact

 The loss of a person from rural areas, impact on the level of output and development of rural areas.

 The influx of workers in urban areas increases competition for the job, houses, school facilities etc.

 Having large population puts too much pressure on natural resources, amenities and services.
 It is difficult for a villager to survive in urban areas because in urban areas there is no natural
environment and pure air. They have to pay for each and everything.

 Migration changes the population of a place, therefore, the distribution of the population is uneven in
India.

 Many migrants are completely illiterate and uneducated, therefore, they are not only unfit for most
jobs, but also lack basic knowledge and life skills.

 Poverty makes them unable to live a normal and healthy life.

 Children growing up in poverty have no access to proper nutrition, education or health.

 Migration increased the slum areas in cities which increase many problems such as unhygienic
conditions, crime, pollution etc.

 Sometimes migrants are exploited.

 Migration is one of the main causes of increasing nuclear family where children grow up without a
wider family circle

SUMMARY-

Human migration as a result of climate change has become an increasingly researched topic over the last
decade and a contentious one. Descriptive labels, apocalyptic imagery, and overzealous estimates of
migrants have often detracted from the real challenges that those who are losing their homes and
homelands are facing. The locations deteriorating most rapidly are those who have contributed the least
greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere and yet have to depend on those who have contributed the most
to their plight.