Why in News?

• A recent working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), titled "400 Million Dreams!", sheds light on the evolving migration trends in India.
• The similar exercise was undertaken in Economic Survey 2016-17, when Arvind Subramanian was Chief Economic Advisor, for calculating the migration trends.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• What are the Migration Trends in India Highlighted in the EAC-PM Report?
• Major Migration Routes and District-Level Insights
• Methodology of the EAC-PM Report and its Limitations
• Conclusion

What are the Migration Trends in India Highlighted in the EAC-PM Report?

• Top states for migrant destinations:
  • West Bengal and Rajasthan emerged as new hotspots for migrant inflows, joining Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh in the top five states receiving the highest number of 2nd-class railway passengers.
  • States showing the highest growth in incoming migrants: West Bengal, Rajasthan, and Karnataka.
  • In contrast, states like Andhra Pradesh and Bihar saw a decline in rankings compared to 2012.
• Decline in overall migration:
  • The report notes an 11.78% reduction in the overall number of migrants since the 2011 Census.
  • This decline is attributed to improved economic opportunities in smaller cities, reducing the need for long-distance migration.

Major Migration Routes and District-Level Insights:

• Top state-to-state routes (2023):
  • Uttar Pradesh to Delhi
  • Gujarat to Maharashtra
  • Telangana to Andhra Pradesh
  • Bihar to Delhi
  • Bihar to West Bengal
• Top destination districts for migrants:
  • Mumbai
  • Bengaluru urban
  • Howrah
  • Central Delhi
  • Hyderabad
• Emerging origin districts (2023):
  • Villupuram (Tamil Nadu)
  • Saharsa (Bihar)
  • Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh)
  • Murshidabad (West Bengal)
• Major intra-state movement: The Murshidabad-Kolkata route is the most traveled path for general class passengers, reflecting significant intra-state movement.
• Migration to major urban centers:
  • Delhi: Major source districts include Agra, Patna, Kanpur Nagar, Jhansi, and Bareilly, with new entrants like Dausa (Rajasthan) and Ludhiana (Punjab).
  • Mumbai: Valsad, Surat, Nashik, Ratnagiri, and Varanasi remain key origin districts, with Sindhudurg as a notable addition.

Methodology of the EAC-PM Report and its Limitations:

• Methodology:
  • The report analyses migration patterns using Indian Railways’ unreserved ticketing data, mobile roaming data, and banking remittance records.
  • The 2nd-class in Mail Express and Ordinary trains is the most affordable travel option predominantly used by blue-collar workers.
• Limitations:
  • Lack of demographic details (age, gender, reasons for migration).
  • Data captures station-to-station travel rather than actual origin-destination routes.

Conclusion:

• The EAC-PM report provides crucial insights into migration patterns in India, highlighting significant changes in destination preferences and reduced migration trends due to localised economic opportunities.
• These findings are vital for policymakers addressing urban planning, infrastructure, and economic development.