Labour Migration in Indo-Gangetic Plains: Determinants and Impacts on Socio-economic Welfare Singh N.P.a,*, Singh R.P.b, Kumar Ranjitc, Padaria R.N.d, Singh Alkab, Varghese Nishae aInternational Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru-502 324, Andhra Pradesh bDivision of Agricultural Economics, Indian Agricultrual Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012 cNational Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad-500407, Andhra Pradesh dDivision of Agricultural Extension, Indian Agricultrual Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012 eIndira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi-110 068 * Author for correspondence, Email: np.singh@cgiar.org
JEL Classification: J61, J23, J31 Online published on 24 November, 2011. Abstract In India, male out-migration from rural to urban areas has increased in recent years, especially in the Indo-Gangetic regions of the country. This indicates that most of the developed regions of India are utilizing labour force of backward areas. The paper has investigated on labour out-migration from the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to find its determinants and its impacts on farm economy. The analysis of determinants shown that the number of members in a family and their educational status have a positive impact on migration. As a result of male out-migration, the women left behind in the villages assume a major role in various farm activities resulting in the so-called ‘feminization of agriculture’. It has also empowered the female members of the migrant households in terms of enhancing their decision-making role in various activities. The study has observed some policy implications in terms of formation of self-help groups or labour societies to help out-migrants, organization of training programmes for capacity building of women, more thrust on education a girl-child and development of infrastructure in the rural areas. Top Key words Labour migration, Feminization of agriculture, Farm-women empowerment, Impact on farm socio-economy. Top |