Internal migration in India. An evaluation of 1971 census data

Trans Inst Indian Geogr. 1980 Jan;2(1):33-57.

Abstract

PIP: The main purpose of this paper was to bring out certain facts about internal migration according to the 1971 census. The data have been classified to interpret the characteristics of regional distribution from the point of immigrant's age and marital status, urban migration, and to examine therural-urban industrial structure of migrants. An attempt has also been made to analyze migratory areas in specific cases of rural-to-rural, rural-to-urban, urban-to-urban, and urban-to-rural migrations. About 30.4% (166.7 million) of total population of the country (548 million) is involved in a move within the country as recorded on the census of April 1, 1971, according to birthplace. At the outset, the large rural migration arriving at destinations (often unplanned) creates a sociological imbalance in the region. There is a clear indication of the higher proporation of male migrants as opposed to female migrants in the labor force. Considering the overall picture of sex ratio among migrants, rural females contribute 55% and urban contribute 12% to total migration. This is a reflection of the short distance movement and marriage migration. On the contrarhy, at anational level, and among a different occupational structure, both working and nonworking males predominate. It indicates that the country is at a development stage in which the dominance of males in migration is evident. The gap between literate and illiterate migrants points to a lack of information on the part of jobseekers. There is also a gap in resource development. In general, the pull to large human agglomerations in the country is important bothin structure and manpower. It is worthwhile to assess population growth and migration at all levels in order to find guidelines to mobilize the manpower and reduce the stress and burden of nonworking migrants in particular.

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors*
  • Asia
  • Censuses*
  • Data Collection*
  • Demography*
  • Developing Countries
  • Economics*
  • Educational Status
  • Emigration and Immigration*
  • Employment
  • India
  • Marital Status*
  • Marriage
  • Population
  • Population Characteristics*
  • Population Dynamics*
  • Research*
  • Socioeconomic Factors*
  • Transients and Migrants*