Determinants of rural labour out-migration: An experience from dumkal block of murshidabad district, West Bengal

Labour out-migration from rural areas has emerged as a smouldering issue in the milieu of agriculture predominating states like West Bengal in India. In the present paper, an attempt has been taken to explore the socio-economic factors leading to such rapid labour out migration in Dumkal block of Murshidabad district, West Bengal. A sample study has been conducted by taking 200 respondents from randomly selected four villages of the aforesaid block using well structured schedule questionnaire. Logistic regression model has been employed for the analysis of field survey data. The results revealed that wages pattern, religious status of migrants, monthly household income, agricultural activities, employment opportunities and household size are the major determinants of labour out-migration in the study area. On the other hand, age of migrants, marital status and surprisingly availability of cultivable land influence the labour out-migration negatively. Educational status of respondents does not have any significant impact upon migration process. The study also made some recommendations to control the rapid flow of labour out-migration from rural areas of Dumkal block within a permissible limit for the sustenance of economic activities present there.