Lok Sabha Question No. 1506 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-29
Subject: Migration to Cities
Ministry: URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: J.C. DIVAKAR REDDY, JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1506

TO BE ANSWERED ON JULY 29, 2015

MIGRATION TO CITIES

No.1506

SHRI J.C. DIVAKAR REDDY:

SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA:

Will the Minister of URBAN DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) whether the migration from villages to cities is increasing and it is expected to increase more in future;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the migration data of last two Census, State-wise;

(c) whether the Government has prepared or proposes to prepare any policy to check rural migration from rural areas; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT

(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a):  Net rural-urban migration has come down from 21.7 per cent in 1981-91 to 21 per cent in 1991-2001. However, in absolute terms, the number of migrants moving from villages to cities has increased in India. The details are in Annexure 1. The migration from rural to urban areas is expected to increase in future due to rapid urbanization and availability of employment in construction and service sectors.

(b): About 39.9 million (excluding Jammu and Kashmir) people moved from rural to urban areas within the country in 1991 which increased to 51.7 million (including Jammu and Kashmir) in 2001 according to Census of India. Reasons for migration and State-wise detail of rural to urban migrants for 1991 and 2001 is given in Annexure 2 and 3 respectively.

Contd….2/-

- 2 -

#### (c) & (d):  Migration is a natural phenomenon related to social and economic development. The Government supports urban development as well as rural development initiatives by way of schemes and programmes offering financial assistance to State Governments to improve infrastructure and Governance for both. In particular, Schemes of Ministry of Rural Development like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) offered assured wage employment to prevent any distress migration.

#### *******

Annexure-2

Table 1: Rural to Urban Migrants by Reasons of Migration in 1991 and 2001

| Reasons of Migration                 | 1991       | 2001       | Percentage Share 1991   | Percentage Share 2001   |
|--------------------------------------|------------|------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
| Employment                           | 8,445,922  | 13,538,079 | 21.2                    | 26.2                    |
| Business                             | 1,968,942  | 1,100,721  | 4.9                     | 2.1                     |
| Education                            | 1,675,419  | 1,241,752  | 4.2                     | 2.4                     |
| Family Moved                         | 9,455,838  | 12,856,764 | 23.7                    | 24.9                    |
| Marriage                             | 12,855,899 | 14,575,030 | 32.2                    | 28.2                    |
| Natural Calamities like Drought etc. | 143,387    | -          | 0.4                     | -                       |
| Moved after Birth                    | -          | 2,576,144  | -                       | 5.0                     |
| Others                               | 5,364,457  | 5,797,866  | 13.4                    | 11.2                    |
| Total Migrants                       | 39,909,864 | 51,686,356 | 100.0                   | 100.0                   |

Source: Census of India, 1991 and 2001

NOTE: The figure for 1991 excludes Jammu and Kashmir

State-wise detail of rural to urban migrants for 1991 and 2001 is provided in Annex 2.

Annexure-3

A2: State-wise Number of Rural to Urban Migrants in India in 1991 and 2001

| States/Union Territories    | 1991       | 2001       |
|-----------------------------|------------|------------|
| Andhra Pradesh              | 3,963,116  | 3,222,032  |
| Arunachal Pradesh           | 39,183     | 83,935     |
| Assam                       | 549,433    | 674,172    |
| Bihar                       | 2,728,934  | 1,471,701  |
| Chhattisgarh                | NA         | 1,099,646  |
| Goa                         | 100,119    | 182,834    |
| Gujarat                     | 3,317,379  | 4,535,522  |
| Haryana                     | 871,586    | 1,542,048  |
| Himachal Pradesh            | 143,261    | 216,539    |
| Jammu and Kashmir           | No Census  | 265,834    |
| Jharkhand                   | NA         | 1,338,986  |
| Karnataka                   | 2,356,597  | 2,824,217  |
| Kerala                      | 1,258,128  | 1,353,651  |
| Madhya Pradesh              | 3,538,969  | 2,905,536  |
| Maharashtra                 | 6,374,614  | 10,527,021 |
| Manipur                     | 18,717     | 29,594     |
| Meghalaya                   | 48,730     | 45,825     |
| Mizoram                     | 39,549     | 95,929     |
| Nagaland                    | 37,984     | 63,621     |
| Orissa                      | 1,103,362  | 1,491,608  |
| Punjab                      | 1,086,271  | 1,530,982  |
| Rajasthan                   | 1,697,831  | 1,960,516  |
| Sikkim                      | 8,188      | 16,892     |
| Tamil Nadu                  | 2,581,993  | 2,492,134  |
| Tripura                     | 54,571     | 89,489     |
| Uttarakhand                 | NA         | 494,562    |
| Uttar Pradesh               | 3,390,796  | 4,014,946  |
| West Bengal                 | 2,727,946  | 3,405,729  |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 26,669     | 37,560     |
| Chandigarh                  | 142,436    | 266,368    |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli      | 3,630      | 18,781     |
| Daman and Diu               | 4,424      | 6,652      |
| Delhi                       | 1,616,665  | 3,263,748  |
| Lakshadweep                 | 2,990      | 4,093      |
| Pondicherry                 | 75,793     | 113,653    |
| India                       | 39,909,864 | 51,686,356 |

Source: Census of India, 1991 and 2001

NOTE: NA: Not Applicable

The 1991 figure for India excludes Jammu and Kashmir

Annexure-1

Disaggregation of Total Incremental Urban Population into Components

| Component                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Percentage Distribution     | Percentage Distribution      | Percentage Distribution    | Percentage Distribution     |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------|
| Component                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 1961-71                     | 1971-81                      | 1981-91                    | 1991-2001                   |
| Total increase  1. Natural increase on base year population and on intercensal migrants  1. Population of new towns less declassified towns  1. Net rural-urban migration  1. Increase due to expansion in urban areas and merging of towns | 30.2  64.6  13.8  18.7  2.9 | 49.9  51.3  14.8  19.6  14.2 | 57.7  61.3  9.4  21.7  7.6 | 67.7  59.4  6.2  21.0  13.0 |

Source: Computed from NSSO 43rd round, 1987-8; 49th round, 1993; 55th round (1999).

India Urban Poverty Report, 2009, Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Oxford Publications