India’s Domestic Migration Declines By Nearly 12 pc, Reflecting Economic Shifts

ENA Sectors 2024-12-27 16:15:49 New Delhi, Dec 27 (KNN) A significant decline in domestic migration patterns has been observed in India, with the total number of migrants decreasing by 11.78 percent compared to the 2011 census, according to a recent report by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM). The report estimates the current migrant population at 40.20 crore, down from 45.57 crore in 2011, with the migration rate falling from 37.64 percent to 28.88 percent of the population. The study, titled 400 Million Dreams! , employed a novel methodology combining data from multiple sources, including the Indian Railway Unreserved Ticketing System, TRAI's mobile roaming statistics, and district-level banking remittance information. However, the authors, economist Bibek Debroy and IRS officer Devi Prasad Misra, acknowledge that the accuracy of these findings can only be verified after the next decennial census. The report suggests that the slowdown in migration trends may be attributed to improved economic opportunities and better access to education, health, infrastructure, and connectivity in smaller cities. This development is viewed as an indicator of overall economic growth, particularly in regions that have traditionally been major sources of migration. A notable shift has occurred in the composition of top migrant-receiving states, with West Bengal and Rajasthan emerging as new entrants, while Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have seen their rankings decline. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh maintain their positions among the top five recipient states. At the district level, urban centers such as Mumbai, Bengaluru Urban, Howrah, Central Delhi, and Hyderabad continue to attract the highest number of migrants. The analysis of seasonal migration patterns, based on TRAI roaming data, reveals peak movement during April-June, with a secondary surge in November-December, periods when migrant workers typically return to their places of origin. Notably, even before the pandemic-related lockdowns, passenger movement showed limited growth, and post-pandemic figures remain significantly lower, with May 2023 showing a 6.67 percent decrease compared to May 2012. The study addresses a crucial gap in migration data availability, as traditional sources like the decennial census and household surveys face limitations in providing timely and comprehensive information about domestic migration trends, particularly concerning blue-collar workers. This innovative approach to tracking migration patterns could potentially inform more effective policy-making in the future. (KNN Bureau) 40410 https://knnindia.co.in/news/newsdetails/sectors/indias-domestic-migration-declines-by-nearly-12-pc-reflecting-economic-shifts 2024-12-27 16:15:49 knnindia.co.in India’s Domestic Migration Declines By Nearly 12 pc, Reflecting Economic Shifts