A thematic report on rural-urban migration brought out recently here, has indicated the high rate of rural to urban migration in Nagaland. “Through the GOI- UNDP (Government of India- United Nations Development Programme) project “strengthening of state plans for human development’ Nagaland has been given an opportunity to dwell on the causes and impact of rural migration in the state by enabling documentation of the report problems of rural- urban migration in Nagaland,” penned Alemtemshi Jamir, IAS, additional chief secretary and development commissioner.
The report draws attention to issues pertaining to facilities opportunities and livelihood options, Jamir said in the foreword of the report and at the same time said the report recognizes the extent and dimensions of urban poverty in the state and the need for policy change for providing urban amenities in rural areas. “The report indicates that it is vital to concentrate on urban regeneration in Nagaland especially as most of the towns are in the hills which naturally have very limited carrying capacity,” penned lead author and coordinator of thematic studies Prof. Manoj Pant.
The report said people migrate for much reason, for better jobs and education, or to follow family members who have migrated. In Nagaland since the formation of the state in 1963, the small administrative blocks and headquarters have been steadily growing in population as more and more people migrates from the surrounding villages in search of job, education, health care and various other lifestyles that are not available in the villages.
The reason for the first rural immigrants to move to the towns was either to get education or job in the government. Over the last few decades since the formation of the state, an increasing number of people have also migrated to the towns for the primary purpose of changing their lifestyles. Other than for education, some of the important facilities for which people come to the towns are market facilities, scope for small businesses, wage labour, domestic helpers and various other unspecified occupations that do not require any specific skill.
Many young people continue to migrate to the towns for the single reason of pursuing their education, the report said adding that many such students either live with families as part time domestic helpers or live in hostels if their parents are able to support them. Many young families are migrating to the towns in order to avail better education facilities. A younger parents becomes insensitive to the need of quality education for their children, they see migration to the rural areas as a viable option to invest for their children’s future. “Such a trend, however raises a number of issues and concerns, particularly, with regard to the quality of education and the standard of the rural schools.”
The report also stated that considering that the urban growth, in the state relative to the growth of administrative government establishments, urban migration from one town to other or migration from village to the towns to take up service posting plays a major role in impacting the migration process.
A good number of the older respondent (in the age range of 35 to 50 plus) were not migrants but were born in the towns, their parents were first generation migrants. Kohima as the state capital and Dimapur as the commercial hub of the state appear to have the highest and most sustained pull over the rural population to migrate, the report said.
In Nagaland, except for Dimapur, all urban areas are located in the hill districts. Whereas, the topography and the geology of the hilly nature of the state presents a limitation for the expansion and development of the urban areas, the influx of migrants particularly from the rural areas is seen to contribute to the growing urban population adding to the already existing infrastructural congestions and problems amenities shared.
Since the majority of the migrant population in Nagaland is drawn from the rural areas, the phenomenon of continued out-migration essentially relates to conditions in the rural areas which make life there increasingly difficult. More than 80 per cent of the rural population is dependent on agriculture but the growing population pressure along with low rate of investment in agriculture, inequalities in the distribution of land and other productive assets, institutional mechanisms which discriminates in favour of the owners of wealth (eg. In provision of credit and government schemes), coupled with natural calamities lead to increasing unemployment and poverty of the rural population.
The report said the unemployment and poverty of the rural population are the main causes of migration to the state from other states as well, which is taking place on a large scale. Unemployment pushes migrants towards areas with greater employment opportunities. Generally, given their poor background majority of these migrants are not well educated and qualified for modern urban services. Therefore a majority of them engage themselves in petty business activities such as vegetable vendors, grocery stores, petty shops like pan shops, hotels and tea stalls etc, the report said.
Though agriculture still remains the main occupational activity in rural Nagaland, agricultural production is mostly for domestic consumption. Due to lack of infrastructural facilities such as connectivity, market linkages, facilities for storing and value addition for the agro products, the creation of opportunity for sustained employment and income generation is insufficient. Consequently, for sustained income generation and employment, getting good and higher education becomes necessity and which the schools in rural areas are unable to provide. The solution comes in the form of migration to the urban areas better educational and employment opportunities exist.
Referring to migrants from outside the state, the report said the intensity of migration from outside the state is fairly high. “It is interesting o note that the migrant population in Nagaland consist of people from almost all states of the country.”
Besides inter state population movement, there is also a good number of foreign migrants from other countries outside India, totaling around 4, 503. In the recent years, there has been a tremendous increase in the influx of Bangladeshis migrants into Nagaland, particularly in commercial hubs like Dimapur and Kohima. Another group of migrants in the state who are not featured in official records, but whose population has visibly expanded in and around commercial centres like Dimapur and Kohima are Tibetans and Bhutanese. These groups of migrants venture into the state for business in “foreign goods” and have achieve remarkable monopoly in this trade in the state’s commercial hub.
The report said that of the factors responsible for attracting migrants population from outside the state, the census enumeration indicate that the most important reason is for employment, which remains a common factor for all the migrants, both for those from states within India as well as the foreign migrants.
Migrants communities, especially, the Marwari community have established themselves into very successful and wealthy business houses and hold monopoly of the trade and commerce the state. Most of the migrants from Bihar, Assam, Tripura and Bangladesh engage themselves in business ranging from vending vegetable, grocery stores, pan shops, hotels and tea stalls. The migrants also find employment as barbers, cobblers, porters, labouers, cart pullers, rickshaw pullers, drivers and construction workers. Majority of the participants in business activities are the migrants from outside the state. Educationally more qualified migrants are drawn into the teaching profession in almost all parts of the state. Most of the qualified migrants are from South India, particularly Kerala which has a total of 1, 497 migrants working in the state.
The r eport also stated that the total number of foreign migrants from Asian countries as indicated is 4503. However, the number is expected to be much higher given the fact that many of these migrants do not get registered. Despite these shortcomings the highest number of large scale migration from other countries is from Nepal which stand 4, 245 followed by Bangladesh. Nepalese migrants have also migrated mainly for employment and also an account of following families and relatives. The early Nepalese migrants in Nagaland as well as in other North Eastern states were mostly ex-soldiers. While many of these migrants have been residing in the state for several generations, there have also been more recent Nepalese migrants usually employed as farmhands in dairy farms, vegetable and paddy fields, fishery farms, fruit orchards, poultry and piggery farms owned by locals.
“Interestingly, while the migrants from other states within or from outside the country are profitably engaged in various income generating economic activities, the kind of jobs in which they are engaged generally do not hold much attraction for the indigenous population,” the report said adding that consequently, while the number of migrants from outside the state who are gainfully employed is on the rise, there is a corresponding increase in the number of unemployed among the local populace.
Thus, the report said, uncontrolled rural urban migration and increased migration from the state contribute towards creation of various socio-economic and infrastructural problems in the urban areas in the state.
The report draws attention to issues pertaining to facilities opportunities and livelihood options, Jamir said in the foreword of the report and at the same time said the report recognizes the extent and dimensions of urban poverty in the state and the need for policy change for providing urban amenities in rural areas. “The report indicates that it is vital to concentrate on urban regeneration in Nagaland especially as most of the towns are in the hills which naturally have very limited carrying capacity,” penned lead author and coordinator of thematic studies Prof. Manoj Pant.
The report said people migrate for much reason, for better jobs and education, or to follow family members who have migrated. In Nagaland since the formation of the state in 1963, the small administrative blocks and headquarters have been steadily growing in population as more and more people migrates from the surrounding villages in search of job, education, health care and various other lifestyles that are not available in the villages.
The reason for the first rural immigrants to move to the towns was either to get education or job in the government. Over the last few decades since the formation of the state, an increasing number of people have also migrated to the towns for the primary purpose of changing their lifestyles. Other than for education, some of the important facilities for which people come to the towns are market facilities, scope for small businesses, wage labour, domestic helpers and various other unspecified occupations that do not require any specific skill.
Many young people continue to migrate to the towns for the single reason of pursuing their education, the report said adding that many such students either live with families as part time domestic helpers or live in hostels if their parents are able to support them. Many young families are migrating to the towns in order to avail better education facilities. A younger parents becomes insensitive to the need of quality education for their children, they see migration to the rural areas as a viable option to invest for their children’s future. “Such a trend, however raises a number of issues and concerns, particularly, with regard to the quality of education and the standard of the rural schools.”
The report also stated that considering that the urban growth, in the state relative to the growth of administrative government establishments, urban migration from one town to other or migration from village to the towns to take up service posting plays a major role in impacting the migration process.
A good number of the older respondent (in the age range of 35 to 50 plus) were not migrants but were born in the towns, their parents were first generation migrants. Kohima as the state capital and Dimapur as the commercial hub of the state appear to have the highest and most sustained pull over the rural population to migrate, the report said.
In Nagaland, except for Dimapur, all urban areas are located in the hill districts. Whereas, the topography and the geology of the hilly nature of the state presents a limitation for the expansion and development of the urban areas, the influx of migrants particularly from the rural areas is seen to contribute to the growing urban population adding to the already existing infrastructural congestions and problems amenities shared.
Since the majority of the migrant population in Nagaland is drawn from the rural areas, the phenomenon of continued out-migration essentially relates to conditions in the rural areas which make life there increasingly difficult. More than 80 per cent of the rural population is dependent on agriculture but the growing population pressure along with low rate of investment in agriculture, inequalities in the distribution of land and other productive assets, institutional mechanisms which discriminates in favour of the owners of wealth (eg. In provision of credit and government schemes), coupled with natural calamities lead to increasing unemployment and poverty of the rural population.
The report said the unemployment and poverty of the rural population are the main causes of migration to the state from other states as well, which is taking place on a large scale. Unemployment pushes migrants towards areas with greater employment opportunities. Generally, given their poor background majority of these migrants are not well educated and qualified for modern urban services. Therefore a majority of them engage themselves in petty business activities such as vegetable vendors, grocery stores, petty shops like pan shops, hotels and tea stalls etc, the report said.
Though agriculture still remains the main occupational activity in rural Nagaland, agricultural production is mostly for domestic consumption. Due to lack of infrastructural facilities such as connectivity, market linkages, facilities for storing and value addition for the agro products, the creation of opportunity for sustained employment and income generation is insufficient. Consequently, for sustained income generation and employment, getting good and higher education becomes necessity and which the schools in rural areas are unable to provide. The solution comes in the form of migration to the urban areas better educational and employment opportunities exist.
Referring to migrants from outside the state, the report said the intensity of migration from outside the state is fairly high. “It is interesting o note that the migrant population in Nagaland consist of people from almost all states of the country.”
Besides inter state population movement, there is also a good number of foreign migrants from other countries outside India, totaling around 4, 503. In the recent years, there has been a tremendous increase in the influx of Bangladeshis migrants into Nagaland, particularly in commercial hubs like Dimapur and Kohima. Another group of migrants in the state who are not featured in official records, but whose population has visibly expanded in and around commercial centres like Dimapur and Kohima are Tibetans and Bhutanese. These groups of migrants venture into the state for business in “foreign goods” and have achieve remarkable monopoly in this trade in the state’s commercial hub.
The report said that of the factors responsible for attracting migrants population from outside the state, the census enumeration indicate that the most important reason is for employment, which remains a common factor for all the migrants, both for those from states within India as well as the foreign migrants.
Migrants communities, especially, the Marwari community have established themselves into very successful and wealthy business houses and hold monopoly of the trade and commerce the state. Most of the migrants from Bihar, Assam, Tripura and Bangladesh engage themselves in business ranging from vending vegetable, grocery stores, pan shops, hotels and tea stalls. The migrants also find employment as barbers, cobblers, porters, labouers, cart pullers, rickshaw pullers, drivers and construction workers. Majority of the participants in business activities are the migrants from outside the state. Educationally more qualified migrants are drawn into the teaching profession in almost all parts of the state. Most of the qualified migrants are from South India, particularly Kerala which has a total of 1, 497 migrants working in the state.
The r eport also stated that the total number of foreign migrants from Asian countries as indicated is 4503. However, the number is expected to be much higher given the fact that many of these migrants do not get registered. Despite these shortcomings the highest number of large scale migration from other countries is from Nepal which stand 4, 245 followed by Bangladesh. Nepalese migrants have also migrated mainly for employment and also an account of following families and relatives. The early Nepalese migrants in Nagaland as well as in other North Eastern states were mostly ex-soldiers. While many of these migrants have been residing in the state for several generations, there have also been more recent Nepalese migrants usually employed as farmhands in dairy farms, vegetable and paddy fields, fishery farms, fruit orchards, poultry and piggery farms owned by locals.
“Interestingly, while the migrants from other states within or from outside the country are profitably engaged in various income generating economic activities, the kind of jobs in which they are engaged generally do not hold much attraction for the indigenous population,” the report said adding that consequently, while the number of migrants from outside the state who are gainfully employed is on the rise, there is a corresponding increase in the number of unemployed among the local populace.
Thus, the report said, uncontrolled rural urban migration and increased migration from the state contribute towards creation of various socio-economic and infrastructural problems in the urban areas in the state.
