Socio-Economic Status of Gulf Migrants and Their Families with Special Reference to Areekode Grama Panchayat
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www.ijcrt.org © 2021 IJCRT | Volume 9, Issue 4 April 2021 | ISSN: 2320-2882 SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF GULF MIGRANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO AREEKODE GRAMA PANCHAYAT 1Muhammed Yaseen T 1Assistant Professor 1Calicut University INTRODUCTION In the present progressively interconnected world, international migration has become a reality that contacts essentially all sides of the globe. Advanced transportation facilities has made it simpler, less expensive and quicker for individuals to move looking for occupations, opportunity, training and personal satisfaction. Simultaneously struggle, neediness, imbalance and an absence of economical vocations urge individuals to leave their homes to look for a good future for themselves and their families abroad. When assisted by proper policy measures, migration can add to comprehensive and inclusive development and advancement in both home and host nations. In 2016, migrants from developing nations sent home an expected US $413 billion in remittances. Remittances become an important income for the family that improves the standard of living of families by spending money in family education, health facilities, sanitation, housing and other important infrastructure. Countries of destination benefit largely from migration as migrants often mitigate the gap in labour force, create business, and pay taxes and contributions to social security. Some migrants are among the most powerful individuals from the host society adding to the advancement of science and innovation and improving their host community by giving social diversity. Despite the significant benefits of migration, some migrants remain among the most vulnerable members of society. Migrants are often the first to lose their jobs in the event of an economic downturn. Some work for less pay, for longer hours, and in worse conditions than native-born workers. While migration is often an IJCRT2104709 International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT) www.ijcrt.org 5924 www.ijcrt.org © 2021 IJCRT | Volume 9, Issue 4 April 2021 | ISSN: 2320-2882 empowering experience, some migrants endure human rights violations, abuse and discrimination. Migrants, particularly women and children, may fall victim to human trafficking and the heinous forms of exploitation that it entails. Migration Since the ancient times, people have been moving. Few group move to get a job or economic opportunities, to join family, or to get education. Others move to get away from struggle, exploitation, psychological oppression, or infringement of human rights. Still others move in light of the antagonistic impacts of environmental change, catastrophic events, or other environmental problems. Today, more individuals than any time live in a country other than the one in which they were conceived and born. In 2019, the number of migrants globally reached constitutes 272 million, 51 million more than in 2010. Total international migrants comprise 3.5 percent of the world populace. It was 2.8 per cent in 2000 and 2.3 per cent in 1980 showing the fact that migrants in the total population in the world has also increased. While numerous people relocate out of choice, numerous others move due to legitimate need. The number of worldwide forcefully displaced people reached 70 million for the first time in the history of UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) at the end of 2018. This number comprises very nearly 26 million refugees, 3.5 million haven searchers, and more than 41 million internationally displaced people. Migration simply means that “a movement from one area to another area for the betterment of their life or standard of living. Generally, people take migration as a solution for their problems in achieving basic needs. Approximately 31 percent of the international migrants worldwide reside in Asia, 30 percent in Europe, 26 percent in the Americas, 10 percent in Africa and 3 percent in Oceania. Gulf Migration Gulf migration is the process of movement of people from their home country to gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE (United Arabic Emirates), Bahrain, Oman, Qatar etc. The gulf migration has helped the migrant families to attain higher income levels and consumption. Many people depend upon migration to enhance employment opportunities, improve life style and to alleviate poverty. Migrant people may achieve a stable life in future. The economies in different countries are different, so it provides verities of employment opportunities with higher earnings and generally it is more than that of what they earn in their countries. IJCRT2104709 International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT) www.ijcrt.org 5925 www.ijcrt.org © 2021 IJCRT | Volume 9, Issue 4 April 2021 | ISSN: 2320-2882 Trends of Migration in India India is a major country of origin and transit, as well as a popular destination, for workers across international borders. As per official figures, there are over 30 million Indians overseas, with over 9 million of the Indian Diaspora concentrated in the GCC region (now known as the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf). Over 90% of Indian migrant workers, most of whom are low and semi-skilled workers work in the Gulf region and South-East Asia. India is one of the top recipients of remittances in the world. In 2019, in current USD, the top five remittance recipient countries were India (83.1 billion), China (68.4 billion), Mexico (38.5 billion), the Philippines (35.2 billion), and the Arab Republic of Egypt (26.8 billion) Recent attempts to disaggregate data on labour migration by gender on a global and regional scale have shed some light on the magnitude of women’s migration for work. According to data from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) 2015, the Indian migrants stock in GCC countries increased from just under 2 million in 1990 to 8.2 million in 2015, with growth prominent among both male and female migrants in all countries. Women comprise just less than one-fourth (23.9 per cent) of the total Indian migrant stock in 2015. The male-female proportion in the total Indian migrant stock has remained more or less the same during the past two decades, with the exception of Qatar where the number of women migrants has increased yet their proportion is much lower when compared to their male counterparts. However, administrative data shows declining numbers of women departing with emigration clearance for work to Gulf countries. Migration in Kerala In recent years, migration from Kerala to other countries has become so widespread that it has an important bearing on the economy and society, and therefore on the development of the state. Since the formation of Kerala, out-migration has been a way of life for the educated youth in Kerala. The volume of migrants has been consistently rising since the 1970s. In recent years, external migration seems to have overtaken internal migration. The effects of migration have become all pervasive in its influence of the economic and social behavior of the people of the state. The latest estimate of the quantum of the international migration from Kerala stands at 2.4 million in 2013, rising from a figure of 1.4 million in 1998. About 1 million emigrants were added to the existing stock, during a period of 15 years as per the Kerala Migration Surveys conducted by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS). Most of the Kerala emigrants move to the six countries in the Gulf region such as United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait. Nine out of ten emigrants from Kerala can be found in the IJCRT2104709 International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT) www.ijcrt.org 5926 www.ijcrt.org © 2021 IJCRT | Volume 9, Issue 4 April 2021 | ISSN: 2320-2882 Gulf. Though women emigrants are reported to be low accounting for 14 per cent of all emigrants, they move beyond Gulf, particularly to the western nations through the route of skilled migration. Gulf remittance is considered as the back bone of Kerala economy. Economic activities of Kerala are mainly funded by remittance from foreign countries. The migrant workers of Kerala contribute to two-third of State Domestic Product directly and indirectly. Income from migrants is one of the leading factors of economic progress of Kerala. Some economists argue that the major factor behind Kerala Model of Development is gulf remittance. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY To analyses the socio- economic status of sample migrants and their families in Areekode Panchayath To understand the standard of living of the migrants and their families. To know the educational attainment of the family members of migrants. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Migration involves a change of residence from the place from their origin to the place of destination permanently or semi permanently. Kerala economy experienced many changes through the migration and foreign remittances. This study is conducted to find out the effect of emigration from Kerala to the gulf countries on the economy of Kerala. This study has found positive aspects of emigration on Kerala economy. Migrated people are looking for better conditions for themselves by leaving their own countries. Migration helps to avoid problem of unemployment, poor standard of living. Migrated people have the capacity to improve their social status and quality of life in home country. Even now majority of emigrants from India to the gulf countries are from Kerala as the effect of migration and foreign remittance in Kerala there is a significant reduction in the incidents of poverty and unemployment. DATA AND METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY The present study mainly used primary data and where ever necessary, secondary data also have been used in order to supplement the former. It is based on the primary data collected from the selected families in Areekode Grama Panchayat. The source and method in which the data were collected is through prepared structured questionnaire, containing the critical questions related to socio economic conditions and basic standard of living.