Problems of Labour Migration in Bihar

Jagadish Prasad Baisantri¹

Section:Research Paper, Product Type: Journal-Paper
Vol.5 , Issue.9 , pp.70-74, Sep-2019

Online published on Sep 30, 2019

Copyright © Jagadish Prasad Baisantri . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
 

View this paper at   Google Scholar | DPI Digital Library

XML View     PDF Download

How to Cite this Paper

Abstract :
Bihar has a long history of labour migration, and its pace has quickened over the past few decades. A lack of non-farm employment opportunities in rural Bihar, coupled with increasing demand for labour in other parts of the country has substantially increased the rate of labour migration from the state. However, a large number of migrant workers from Bihar are engaged in short term, casual and precarious employment at the destinations. They live and work in unsafe and unhygienic conditions. In the villages, households of migrant workers suffer from low and irregular remittances, semi-feudal systems, lack of access to social protection and basic services, as well as political exclusion. Three-quarters of rural Bihar is employed in the agricultural sector as marginal farmers or agricultural labourers, with very low returns. It has been argued that ‘semi-feudal’ systems of production continue in these regions, where power and land is concentrated in the hands of the upper castes. Caste, class and land ownership remain determinants of social, economic and political power. Migrant households, in particular, remain politically excluded, as they are away making a livelihood, rendering them unable to seek reform or entitlements. In this scenario, it is essential for all stakeholders, including the source and destination governments, as well as workers’ organisations, to understand and collectively respond to the issues and challenges of labour migration in Bihar.

Key-Words / Index Term :
Bihar, Labour, Migration, Employment and Government

References :
[1]. A. Datta, “Migration, Remittances and Changing Sources of Income in Rural Bihar (1999‐2011): Some Findings from A Longitudinal Study”. Economic and Political Weekly, LI (31): 85‐93, 2016.
[2]. A. Haan, “Migration and Livelihoods in Historical Perspective: A Case Study of Bihar, India”. Journal of Development Studies, 38(5): 115‐142, 2010.
[3]. Arup. Mitra and Murayama. Mayumi, “Rural to Urban Migration: a district level analysis for India” IDE Discussion Paper No. 137, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan, pp: 192-198, 2008.
[4]. G. Rodgers, A. Datta, J. Rodgers, S.K. Mishra and A.N. Sharma, The Challenge of Inclusive Development in Rural Bihar, Institute for Human Development and Manak Publications, New Delhi, pp: 15-18, 2013.
[5]. Ibid. Kundu & Saraswati. Ray, Migration and Exclusionary Urbanisation in India, Economic and Political Weekly Vol. 47, No. 26/27, pp. 219-227, 2012.
[6]. R. Bhaskaran and B.S. Mehta, “Tracing Migrants in Delhi from Bihar: An Enquiry on the Role of Migration as a Development Facilitator in Poor Origin Areas”. Institute for Human Development, New Delhi, pp: 5-7, 2010.
[7]. R. Dwivedi, Migration: An Overview and Relevant Issues. Management Insight, 8(2): 25-33, 2012
[8]. World Bank World Development Report 2009 : Reshaping Economic Geography. World Bank. © World Bank, pp: 324-327, 2009