Lok Sabha Question No. 1536 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-26
Subject: Impact of Migration of Labourers on MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: P. Velusamy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1536 ANSWERED ON 26/07/2022

## IMPACT OF MIGRATION OF LABOURERS ON MGNREGS

## 1536.   SHRI VELUSAMY P.:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the large scale migration of labourers from rural, tribal and remote areas to urban areas in search of employment;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether this has resulted in severe impact on the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS); and
- (d) if so, the details thereof along with the steps  taken by the Government to remedy the situation?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a)  &  (b)    There  is  no  specific  information  available  regarding  large  scale  migration  of labourers  from  rural,  tribal  and  remote  areas  to  urban  areas  in  search  of  employment. However, as per Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted during July 2020 - June 2021, the estimated percentage distribution of migrants in urban areas by reason for migration is given at Annexure.

(c)  &  (d)    Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) is a demand driven wage employment programme which provide for the enhancement  of  livelihood  security  of  the  households  in  rural  areas  of  the  country  by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. It provides livelihood  security,  i.e.  fall  back  options  for  livelihood  for  the  rural  households,  when  no better  employment  opportunity  is  available  and  mitigates  to  some  extent  push  factors  for migration.

The  details  of  employment  provided  (in  person-days  generated)  under  Mahatma  Gandhi NREGS in last three financial year 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 and current financial year 2022-23 (as on 21.07.2022) is given below:

| Financial Year                                                   |   2019-20 |   2020-21 |   2021-22 |   2022-23 (as on 21.07.2022) |
|------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|------------------------------|
| Employment provided (in person-days generated) (figure in crore) |    265.32 |    389.08 |    363.46 |                       119.85 |

*****

## Annexure referred in reply to parts (a) & (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.1536 dated 26.07.2022

## Percentage distribution of migrants in urban areas by reason for migration from PLFS conducted during July 2020 - June 2021

| Reason for migration                                                                                                       |   Percentage of migrants in urban areas |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| in search of employment/better employment                                                                                  |                                    10.8 |
| for employment/ work (to take up employment/ to take up better employment/ business/ proximity to place of work/ transfer) |                                     8.9 |
| loss of job/closure of unit/lack of employment opportunities                                                               |                                     1.3 |
| migration of parent/earning member of the family                                                                           |                                    19.9 |
| to pursue studies                                                                                                          |                                     2.4 |
| marriage                                                                                                                   |                                    47.5 |
| natural disaster (drought, flood, tsunami, etc)                                                                            |                                     0.2 |
| social / political problems (riots, terrorism, political refugee, bad law and order, etc.)                                 |                                     0.2 |
| displacement by development project                                                                                        |                                     0.2 |
| health related reasons                                                                                                     |                                     0.6 |
| acquisition of own house/ flat..                                                                                           |                                     1.7 |
| housing problems                                                                                                           |                                     2.6 |
| post retirement                                                                                                            |                                     0.5 |
| Others                                                                                                                     |                                     3.2 |
| All                                                                                                                        |                                   100   |

Note: These estimates are obtained from PLFS conducted during July 2020 - June 2021,

Source: NSS Report Migration in India, 2020-21