Determinants of Seasonal Migration of Jharkhand: An Empirical Investigation

• Date: 01 August 2020
• Published date: 01 August 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2070
• Author: Sanhita Sucharita,Lisma Rout

ACADEMIC PAPER

Determinants of Seasonal Migration of Jharkhand: An

Empirical Investigation

Sanhita Sucharita

1

| Lisma Rout

2

1

Department of Business Administration,

Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi, India

2

Department of Humanities and Social

Sciences, Central University of Jharkhand,

Ranchi, India

Correspondence

Sanhita Sucharita, Assistant Professor in

Economics, Department of Business

Administration, Central University of

Jharkhand, Ranchi, Barmbe Campus, Ranchi-

835205, Jharkhand, India.

Email: sanhita.sucharita@gmail.com

In Jharkhand, migration from rural to urban areas accounted for more than half of

seasonal migration flows. In terms of spatial movements, rural–urban migration domi-

nates migration for economic reasons. In Jharkhand seasonal migration is high and it

is very high among the socio-economically deprived and marginal groups. This paper

examines the association between seasonal migration and its determining factors,

particularly socio-economic status; it observes that there is a significant negative

association between economic status and temporary migration. Socio-economically

deprived and marginal groups such as ST, SC, Muslim, household from lower Monthly

Per Capita Expenditure quintile and household having lower land holding have a

greater propensity to migrate seasonally, which also reflects its distress-driven

nature. The study has found no significant effects of educational attainment on the

propensity to migrate. Our results have numerous potential policy implications,

including the design of typical social; security schemes for Jharkhand.

JEL CLASSIFICATION

O15; Q15; O1

1|INTRODUCTION

Seasonal migr ation is irrev ersibly part o f the lives and livelihoods o f

many of the poorest sections of India. Seasonal migration is growing

substantially in India (Rogaly, 1998; Deshingkar and Start 2003;

Deshingkar et al.2008 and Keshari and Bhagat, 2012; Nayyarand Kim,

2018). In India inter-state migrationis from the poorer eastern states to

western and northern developed states (Rogaly, 1998 and Deshinger,

2006). The stock of “interstate”migrants is negatively correlated with

per capita state NSDP.It suggests that poorer states are more likely to

have individuals migrating to other states (Nayyar and Kim, 2018) This

paper studies the causes of internal seasonal migration in Jharkhand, a

state which has second highest percentage (36.96%) of population

below the poverty line in comparison to other states, which is much

higher than national average (21.92%) (planning commission report,

2013). Jharkhand has seen a sharp decline in poverty in the past

decade. Despite this, poverty in the state is among the highest in the

country after Chhattisgarh. Significant share of SCs and ST population

in the total population is a constraint to the Jharkhandeconomy. There

are striking differences across social groups in Jharkhand. The

Scheduled Tribes stand out for chronic poverty (India states brief-

Jharkhand, World Bank, 2016). Apart from General category house-

holds, there is poor access to basic services for most households in

Jharkhand in comparison to the rest of the country (Jharkhand

Social Inclusion Group brief, World Bank, 2016). Overall job crea-

tion in the state lags behind the expansion of the working age pop-

ulation (Jharkhand- Jobs brief, World Bank 2016). Jharkhand has

been observed with highest level of food insecurity (MSSRF, Food

Insecurity Atlas of Urban India, 2002). Jharkhand is ranked six-

teenth among seventeen states with the ISHI score of 28.6 (India

State Hunger Index 2009, IFPRI). Jharkhand faces food shortage at

the end of winter and the starvation phase starts from mid of sum-

mer (June) and in many cases continues till the end of October.

Seasonal migration is one of the most common coping livelihood

strategy adopted by the rural poor to adapt to seasonal food inse-

curity. Despite a number of studies based on the field surveys of

individual researchers, there is dearth of literature that covers a

large population and presents a generalized analysis of seasonal

migration in Jharkhand (see Table 1). Therefore, there is a need to

use large scale survey data to be able to generalize the findings on

Received: 6 December 2019 Accepted: 7 December 2019

DOI: 10.1002/pa.2070

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https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2070