CAUSES OF MIGRATION OF LABOUR IN TIRUNELVELI DISTRICT (2013)

ABSTRACTThe present study is an attempt to understand the factors that cause labour migration. It purports to inquire into pull and push factors of migration of semi-skilled and unskilled migrant workers in Tirunelveli district. Primary data collected from the field through a structured questionnaire has been used in this study. A number of variables causing migration have been identified by the researcher. The reliability of the variables is tested through reliability analysis applying Cronbach's alpha. Exploratory Factor Analysis is employed using SPSS 19 to reduce the variables, identified as the causes of migration, into handsome number of factors. Confirmatory Factor Analysis has also been applied to confirm the factors causing migration developed through Exploratory Factor Analysis using AMOS 18. Structural Equation Models have been developed for this purpose.Keywords: Determinants of Migration, Migration of Labour, Causes of Migration, Factors of MigrationINTRODUCTION:Ever since man has been on earth, different ethnic groups travelled to other regions in the world hoping to find a better basis for existence there. When people move, they do so over varying distances, for different periods of time and for different reasons. The reasons for migration vary greatly between localities, countries, regions and from migrant to migrant. Migration of people in search of employment has occurred all through history and it is by no means a new phenomenon. Migration is undertaken by energetic and resourceful individuals who move, as part of their effort, to improve their lives and the lives of their families, to learn new skills, to gain new experiences, to find a job or to flee insecurity, disaster, or famine. The reasons for migration are a complex issue, which cannot be generalised easily. The present study is an attempt to understand the factors that cause labour migration. It purports to inquire into pull and push factors of migration of semi-skilled and unskilled migrant workers in Tirunelveli district. This study has been conducted on 300 migrants, to find the reasons for migration. Analysis of variables is made through rotated factor matrix. In order to apply factor analysis, the basic assumption to be fulfilled is the factorability of the correlation matrix. KMO measures of sampling adequacy and the Bartlett's test of sphericity determine the factorability of the correlation matrix. Confirmatory Factor Analysis has also been applied to confirm the factors causing migration developed through Exploratory Factor Analysis using AMOS 18. Structural Equation Models have been developed for this purpose.REVIEW OF LITERATURE:The review of literature helps the researcher in a better way to interpret and analyse the importance of results obtained from earlier research studies. In this sense, previous studies are reviewed in this part.'The decision to migrate: A comparative study of rural migrants from the North and Northeast regions in Thailand'1 is a study done by Chinnavaso and Kasemsun (1993). This study aims to i) determine the general characteristics of migrants and non-migrants, ii) identify the factors influencing their attitudes, perceptions and expectations, and iii) suggest ways to achieve more effective government policy and strategy. The study areas chosen in this analysis are based on Village Development Data. These data identify the origin of rural migrants by provinces, districts and villages and those seasonal migrants who move out from their home down to get or seek a job after crop cultivations. The total sample size of 400 respondents are selected from 32 villages of 8 districts from the 4 provinces of the north and northeast regions in Thailand, which have the largest and second largest number of out migrants according to their proportion of total population. The results of this study compares migrants and non migrants in general characteristics perceptions, expectations, job information, duration, problems, welfare, government training program, mismatching in occupational training. …