IMPACTS, CHALLENGES AND

OPPORTUNITIES OF REVERSE
MIGRATION

ADARSH TARWANI

SURAJ WANKHEDE

7TH SEM
INTRODUCTION:
• FOLLOWING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN, ALMOST ALL INDUSTRIES AND
DIFFERENT ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES CAME TO A HALT DETERIORATING
THE CONDITIONS OF DAILY WAGE EARNERS, MOST OF WHICH ARE
MIGRANTS.
• WITH NO AVAILABILITY OF LIVELIHOOD AND WORSENING
CONDITIONS, REVERSE MIGRATION STARTED WITH ALL MIGRANTS
RETURNING TO THEIR NATIVE STATES BY ANY MEANS AVAILABLE.
• THESE MIGRANTS ARE OVER 450 MILLION, WHOSE MOVEMENT CAN
BE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY LINKED TO THE SEARCH FOR
EMPLOYMENT.
• THEY PROVIDE KEY CONTRIBUTIONS TO HIGH-GROWTH SECTORS OF
CONSTRUCTION, MANUFACTURING, AND URBAN SERVICES AT THE
DESTINATION SITES.

WHAT IS REVERSE MIGRATION?

• REVERSE MIGRATION REFERS TO THE SITUATION WHEN LABOURERS,
WORKERS AND PEOPLE START MIGRATING BACK TO THEIR NATIVE
PLACE IN THE BACKDROP OF NON-AVAILABILITY OF LIVELIHOOD AND
JOB OPPORTUNITIES.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF MIGRATIONS?

• MIGRATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN A STRATEGY IN WHICH MANY WORKERS
IN INDIA USED TO FULFIL THEIR ASPIRATION TO UPLIFT FROM
POVERTY AND TO ACCESS LIVELIHOODS THAT PROMISE DECENT
WORK.
• THERE ARE MANY REASONS FOR MIGRATION LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE,
POLITICAL ISSUES, ECONOMIC ISSUES INCLUDE POVERTY &
EMPLOYMENT, RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION ETC.
• FOR MOST OF THE MIGRANTS, THEIR FAMILIES, DEPENDENT ON THE
REMITTANCES THEY SEND, AND LOCKDOWN HAVE INCREASED THEIR
DIFFICULTIES AND FORCE THEM TO MOVE TO THEIR HOME STATES.

PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES OF MIGRANTS:

• MOST OF THE MIGRANTS RECRUITED THROUGH UNFAIR
CHANNELS; UNDERPAID AND OVERWORKED; THEY ARE ENGAGED IN
 THE ENVIRONMENT COMPROMISED OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH.
• CITIES ARE OVERBURDENED AND UNDERPREPARED TO PROVIDE
GUARANTEED SOCIAL PROTECTION TO THESE MIGRANTS, OFTEN DENY
THEM ACCESS TO ADEQUATE FOOD AND NUTRITION, QUALITY
HEALTHCARE, HOUSING, OR WATER AND SANITATION FACILITIES.

IMPACTS OF REVERSE MIGRATION:

• MIGRANT WORKERS ARE TYPICALLY HAND-TO-MOUTH CONSUMERS,
EARNING SUBSISTENCE LIVING AND SPENDING A LARGE PART OF
THEIR INCOME IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY. THIS CONTRIBUTES TO
ANOTHER LAYER OF DEMAND, WHICH WILL NOW CEASE TO EXIST.
• IN THEIR CAPACITY AS CONSUMERS, THEY ARE A PART OF AN
INFORMAL ECONOMY WHICH GENERATES AND SUSTAINS VOLUMES
FOR THE FMCG INDUSTRIES, WHICH WILL TAKE A BLOW DUE TO
REVERSE MIGRATION.
• THE LACK OF DEMAND FROM THE MIGRANT WORKERS AND THE MINI
ECONOMIES THEY HELP SUSTAIN IMPLIES THAT FORWARD AND
BACKWARD LINKAGES TO THE FORMAL SECTOR WILL BE WEAKENED.
• THE REVERSE MIGRATION WILL PUT STRESS ON THE NATIVE STATES AS
IT QUASHES THE REMUNERATION FLOW FROM OTHER STATES AT THE
SAME TIME THERE WILL BE A QUESTION OF EMPLOYABILITY OF
RETURNED MIGRANTS.
• THEY ARE STIGMATISED AS THE ‘CARRIERS’ OF THE DISEASE.
• REVERSE MIGRATION COULD DESTROY INDIA’S TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES LARGELY CONCENTRATED IN TEN STATES AND IN THE
NORTH-EASTERN REGION.

WAY FORWARD & OPPORTUNITIES:

• A PROGRAMME ADDRESSING THE PROBLEMS OF RETURNING
MIGRANTS LIKE EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH MUST BE DEVISED BY STATES
AS WELL AS CENTRE.
• A PROPER MOVEMENT STRATEGY MUST BE DEVISED FOR FUTURE
ACTION IF THE MIGRANTS RETURN TO WORK STATES.
• A FISCAL STIMULUS FOR THE DEMAND SIDE MUST BE FORMULATED TO
PROVIDE IMMEDIATE MONETARY SUPPORT TO MIGRANTS.
• PLAN FOR JOB GROWTH AT A RATE FASTER THAN THE NUMBER OF
ENTRANTS INTO THE LABOUR FORCE MUST BE DEVISED TO ADDRESS
THE ISSUE OF UNEMPLOYABILITY.
• DECENT WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL MIGRANT WORKERS SHOULD
BE PROVIDED IN THE HOME STATE AS WELL AS RESPECTING THEIR
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS.
• THE FOCUS SHOULD BE ON THE KNOWLEDGE-CENTRIC
DEVELOPMENT BY BRIDGING THE KNOWLEDGE GAP BETWEEN A CITY
AND A VILLAGE BY IMPARTING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE.