The present study analyzes the changing migration routes and transforming activities of seasonal migrants in Rarh region of West Bengal. The Rarh region of West Bengal has a long history of seasonal migration during agricultural periods. However, the pattern of male out-migration has shifted in recent years. To study this change, a random sample of 185 migrant households was selected. A well-structured survey was designed, and data was gathered through face-to-face interviews with these households. In the past, migrants usually followed the huge labor market created during major cropping seasons, such as rice harvesting. Agricultural mechanization has substantially reduced the demand of seasonal agricultural labor. Besides, the demand for non-agricultural labor in various urban centers across the country remains high across seasons. Both existing literature and recent field investigations indicate the presence of four historical migration streams from Bankura district. However, the present study indicates a shift in male out-migration trends in recent years, with rural men increasingly migrating to western and southern Indian states. Therefore, it has altered their migration behavior from seasonal agricultural migration to temporary, short-, and long-term non-agricultural migration.

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Shifting Routes and Transforming Activities of Seasonal Migrants: Evidence from Drought-Affected Bankura District in Rarh Region of West Bengal, India

  • Manoj Debnath,
  • Sheuli Ray

摘要

The present study analyzes the changing migration routes and transforming activities of seasonal migrants in Rarh region of West Bengal. The Rarh region of West Bengal has a long history of seasonal migration during agricultural periods. However, the pattern of male out-migration has shifted in recent years. To study this change, a random sample of 185 migrant households was selected. A well-structured survey was designed, and data was gathered through face-to-face interviews with these households. In the past, migrants usually followed the huge labor market created during major cropping seasons, such as rice harvesting. Agricultural mechanization has substantially reduced the demand of seasonal agricultural labor. Besides, the demand for non-agricultural labor in various urban centers across the country remains high across seasons. Both existing literature and recent field investigations indicate the presence of four historical migration streams from Bankura district. However, the present study indicates a shift in male out-migration trends in recent years, with rural men increasingly migrating to western and southern Indian states. Therefore, it has altered their migration behavior from seasonal agricultural migration to temporary, short-, and long-term non-agricultural migration.