International Institute for Population Sciences
Deemed to be University (An Autonomous Organization of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India)

ABSTRACT In recent years, a very high rate of internal migration has been witnessed in India. Employment, by far, remains the biggest cause of migration in the country. Different Studies have found that the inter-state movement is not very high and most people remain within the same state after migration. However literate people constitute a vast majority of the migrants. Though considered by many as a natural and, at times, a beneficial process, it has led to several problems in the Indian scenario. Though the freedom to reside in any part of the country has been enshrined in the Indian constitution as a fundamental right, experience has shown that it has only created friction points within the society. Maharashtra, Gujarat, the south Indian states and other states in northern parts of the country like Haryana, Punjab and Delhi have become attractive destinations for the migrant population. Rapid urbanization and industrialization of these areas have generated more employment opportunities and also created better infrastructure. Since migrant people are usually more willing to work on lower wages, they dent the prospects of locals in the area getting jobs. In the urban area better basic services as well as other specialist services that aren't found in rural areas. There are more job opportunities and a greater variety of jobs. The areas touched upon in this paper include the problems and prospects of urbanization, role of social networks and private intermediaries in influencing migration, impact of labour migration on different aspects of development in the destination areas, contribution of different types of factors in promoting labour migration and impact of migration on the overall earnings of labour, Social, Economic, Political aspects of behind the migration urbanization and poverty etc. and argues for pro-poor and people-centric policies and suggest that growth and equity objectives should