www.ijird.com May, 2014 Vol 3 Issue 5 ISSN 2278 – 0211 (Online) Socio-Economic Condition of the People of Darjeeling: Out-Migration as a Survival Strategy (?) Dr. Gopal Sharma Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science Sitalkuchi College, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India Abstract: Migration sometimes is treated as the barometer of changing socio-economic and political conditions at the national and international levels. There are both negative and positive sides of migration. On one hand, it is argued that underdevelopment is a cause of migration, and on the other hand, prosperity also leads to migration. This paper specifically attempts to study the impacts of out-migration based on some villages of Darjeeling district in the state of West Bengal. The district comprises four subdivisions namely - Darjeeling Sadar, Kurseong and Kalimpong and Siliguri. But, for the purpose of the study two villages from each subdivision (total 8) and again 15 households from each village (total 120) have been selected and from each village ten out-migrated people (total 80) 50 males and 30 females) have been randomly taken as respondents for the purpose of study. Informations are collected from field survey and to conclude, purposive and analytical methods are applied. The views of the out-migrated people before and after migration have been analyzed thoroughly. Key words: Migration, Out-Migration, landless poor, Social Inclusion, Financial Inclusion 1. Introduction The term migration is so broad that it lends itself to various connotations and interpretations. Migration is a global phenomenon caused not only by an economical factor, but also caused by many other factors like social, political, cultural, environmental, educational and so on. India, as a nation has seen a high migration rate in recent years. The percentage of urban population in India, which was only 17 per cent of the total population in 1951 is expected to jump to around 42.5 per cent of the total population by 2025. All this will happen because large numbers of people will leave rural areas to urban areas in search of better opportunities. In the last 50 years the rural population has decreased from 82.0 to 68.9 per cent (Sandhu, P., Sidhu M, Harshpinder, Sharranbir, 2003). There are both negative and positive sides of migration. On one hand, it is argued that underdevelopment is a cause of migration, and on the other hand, prosperity also leads to migration. Migration in India is mostly influenced by social structures and pattern of development. Uneven development is the main cause of Migration. Added to it, are the disparities, inter regional and amongst different socioeconomic classes. The fact is that, the 68.9 percent populations of India are living in the rural areas. The 66.2 percent of rural males and 81.6 percent of rural females are engaged in agriculture as cultivators or labourers, but the share of agriculture to overall GDP in India has come down to 14 percent. So, there is continuous migration from the rural to urban areas in search of better employment opportunities and living standard. Migration from rural to urban areas is up from 27.8 to 31.1 per cent since 2001. It is estimated that approximately 2 million people are shifting from rural to urban areas annually and approximately 22 million people have migrated from rural to urban areas since 2001. It is reported that 57 per cent of urban migrant households migrated from rural areas, whereas 29 per cent of rural migrant households migrated from urban areas. Further, approximately 55 per cent of the households in rural areas and 67 per cent of the households in the urban areas had migrated for employment related reasons. Loss of job opportunities in agriculture is the primary factor of driving people away from agriculture (Gautam, 2012). 2. Migration in India: Some Emerging Trends A higher percentage of the persons were found to be engaged in economic activities after migration: for males the percentage of workers increased from 51% before migrant to 63% after migration in rural areas and from 46% - 70% in urban areas, while for females it increased from 20% - 33% in rural areas and from 8% - 14% in urban areas. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT Page 6 www.ijird.com May, 2014 Vol 3 Issue 5 Among the migrants in the rural areas, nearly 91% had migrated from the rural areas and 8% had migrated from the urban areas, whereas among the migrants in the urban areas, nearly 59% migrated from the rural areas and 40% from urban areas. For rural male, migration rate was lowest (nearly 4%) among the ‘not literate’, and it was nearly 14% among those with educational level ‘graduate and above’. For urban males also, it was the lowest for among the ‘not literates’ (17%), and 38% for those with educational level ‘graduate or above level. For rural males, self-employment had emerged as main recourse of employment after migration. The share of self- employment in total migrants increased from 16% before migration to 27% after migration, while the shares of regular employees and casual labours remained almost stable, both before and after migration. In urban areas, migration rate was lowest among other backward class nearly 33%, and it was highest among those classified in the social group ‘others’, nearly 38%. In India, nearly 29 percent of the persons were migrants with significant rural-urban and male-female differentials. In the urban areas, the rate of return migration did not differ much for males and females: it was 12 percent for males and 10 percent for females. Magnitude of male migration rate was far lower than the female migration rate, in both rural and urban areas. In rural areas, nearly 48% of the female were migrants while the male migrants rate was only 5%, and in the urban areas, the male migration rate was nearly 26% compared to female migration rate of 46%. Migration rate in rural areas was lowest among the scheduled tribe, nearly 24% and it was highest among those classified in the social group ‘others’, nearly 28%. Migration of households in both the rural an urban area was dominated by the migration of households from rural areas. Nearly 60% of urban male migrants and 59% of urban female migrants had migrated from rural areas. Rate of return migration that is, proportion of return migrants in the population for males in rural areas was significantly higher than females: 24 percent for males and 11 percent for females. The migration rate in the urban areas (35%) was far higher than the migration rate in the rural areas (26%) The most prominent reason for female migration in both the rural and urban areas was marriage: for 91% of rural female migrants and 61% of the urban female migrants the reason was marriage. The reason for migration for male migrant was dominated by employment related reasons, in both rural and urban areas. Nearly 29% rural male migrants and 56% of urban male migrants had migrated due to employment related reasons. Source: Government of India, 2010, National Sample Survey 64th Round, Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, NSSO, New Delhi. 3. Objectives The main objectives of the proposed article are: To understand the socio-economic condition of the people of the District; To understand the causes of rural out migration in the District; To analyse whether the out-migration is a new strategy of survival in the district or not. 4. Review In India the urban population has increased by more than 1000 per cent between 1901 and 2001, fueled largely by migration from the rural areas. If well managed, migration can ensure a better living for the rural as well as urban poor because it has the potential to contribute to poverty reduction (Hazra, 2010). Migration has become the matter of concern for all disciplines because social, economic, political, cultural etc. activities of the society are very much interdisciplinary in nature and the rural out-migration is touching each and every side of the social activities. Loes Schenk-Sanbergen (1995) – This edited volume deals with the gender-specific cause and consequences of seasonal rural labour migration or survival migration in four Indian states – Orissa, Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra. Their survey report says that the economic gains are minimal, that there is little improvement in the economic status of women, and that there is a reinforcement of traditional gender roles – indeed, an increasing subordination of women. In solution the contributors emphasize lies in reducing seasonal labour migration. Instead of survival migration the contributors gave more emphasis on some targeted projects. Crispin Bates (2001) – This edited volume examines the history, politics and anthropology of migration in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, as well as in numerous overseas location (such as Fiji, Africa, the Caribbean, and North America) where south Asian migrated during and after the colonial period. This volume highlights the recent conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan etc and the problem of diasporic communities. V T Patil and P R Trivedi (2000) – They argued that migration entails a number of distinct, though complex for countries both of origin and destination. In the post-cold war years, forced population displacement has proven to be a prominent consequence of the demise of old ideologies, the collapse of existing empires and the formation of new states. Large scale displacements of people may also prompt other states and regional organisations to deploy their armed forces. As a result the displaced people faced another problem. Even as asylum their safety comes under the great threat and women and girl became the victims of sex exploitations. So, some humanitarian approach is the demand of 21st Century in which people can live together in peace, security and dignity.