Some northeast districts have their own migration corridors for jobs in southern India, reveals survey
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Image for the purpose of representation. | Photo Credit: Ritu Raj Konwar
A survey across 14 administrative blocks in eight districts of three northeastern States shows that each district studied has its own migration corridor for jobs in southern India.
For instance, Tripura’s Dhalai district sends more than two in three migrants to Karnataka, Assam’s Nagaon district has a distinct Hyderabad route and Meghalaya’s North Garo Hills sends many to Tamil Nadu. Within the northeast, Assam’s Guwahati and Meghalaya’s Shillong draw the most migrant workers.
Guwahati-headquartered Seven Sisters Development Assistance, a non-profit organisation, conducted the survey covering 693 households across five districts in Assam, two in Meghalaya and one in Tripura. About 62% of these households belong to Scheduled Tribe communities and 95% own land but not enough to farm.
The survey analyses 705 migration records. Some 88% of those surveyed cite a lack of work in the village, while 91% name at least one “push” factor, such as shortage of land or the need to repay loans.
The study also notes the “pull” factors. Many migrants leave home for better living conditions (40%), better jobs (36%) and higher wages (26%). In more than 50% of the migration records, push and pull reasons appear together.
According to the survey, 72.6% of the migrants work outside their home State following “well-worn corridors”.
Four southern Indian States are among seven destinations for these migrant workers. Karnataka tops the chart with 22.7% of the outflow, followed by Assam (mainly Guwahati) with 22.3%, Tamil Nadu with 13.8% and Kerala with 10.1%.
Delhi is the only northern Indian destination for the migrants (4.5%), below Meghalaya (mainly Shillong) with 8.7%. Of the southern States, Telangana is the least preferred destination (4.5%).
The survey shows young people, mostly male workers (women make up 12% of the listed migrants), travelling far for modest pay. It indicates that migration is chiefly a way for small landholders to diversify income.
Some 60% of the listed migrants are 30 or under, and 74% of the records are from between 2021 and 2025. The authors, however, say the surge may be overstated, as the survey largely covers people who are still away.
The survey says networks, rather than institutions, shape migrants’ journeys. Some 70% found work through family members or friends, and only 6% applied directly to an employer. Friends and family members at a destination largely determine where they go.
A key finding is that migrants earn modest pay. The median monthly earning is ₹15,000, with 86.5% of the migrants earning ₹20,000 or less.
Each migrant worker spends an average of ₹7,000 a month on food, healthcare and education. After sending money home, they are left with almost nothing for investments; about 92% of households receive remittances.
About 53% of workers reported long working hours, and 19% received paid leave, with casual labourers most exposed.
The findings further point to a strong wish to stay in their villages. About 88% of the households said the migrants would remain if viable local livelihoods were available, and 70% named local enterprise as the option most likely to keep them.
The study emphasises that the findings do not argue against migration, but for making it “a choice rather than a necessity”.
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