Migration And Short Term Migration

In general short-term migration seems to be most prevalent among the socioeconomic marginalised groups; the poorest of the poor, illiterates, Scheduled Tribes and Castes, where they migrate from the rural area to urban areas. The micro survey of the Migration Policy Institute suggests that most internal migrants are between the age of 16 and 40 whose duration of stay is between 60 days and a year. Here the marginalised, scheduled tribes and castes are overrepresented in the short-term migration (Migration Policy Institute, 2014). Many findings suggest that temporary migration from rural areas is often distress driven (Keshri & Bhagat, 2010). Deshingkar and Akter (2009) state that most migrant workers are employed in agriculture, industry and …show more content…
For instance, the Public Distribution System of India provides subsidised food for people living below the poverty line. In order to access this a Ration Card must be shown, which is registered on the place of residence. Changing the address of residence is complicated and not all migrants are able to navigate, sometimes due to illiteracy, within the governmental structures. Thus, this cannot be used at the place of …show more content…
Many marginalised migrants end up working in the unofficial and informal sector. According to the estimate of the National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (2009), between 94% and the 98% of the poor and vulnerable work in the informal sector. The Commission identifies migrants as being at the bottom of the working class, the most disadvantaged. Informal labourers do not benefit from laws directed at improving pay and conditions of work, when they still they have weak bargaining power. Nevertheless governments and employers push for further informalisation and flexibilisation of labour (Lerche,