Migrant Labour: Issues, Inter-State Migration, and Welfare
Introduction
Migrant labour constitutes a significant portion of India's workforce - estimated at 50-100 million inter-state and 200+ million intra-state migrants. They form the backbone of construction, manufacturing, textiles, agriculture, domestic work, and service industries in urban and semi-urban areas. The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown (March 2020) exposed the extreme vulnerability of migrant workers, triggering one of the largest reverse migrations since Partition. Despite their economic contribution, migrant workers face systemic deprivation - lack of housing, social security, healthcare, and education for their children.
Magnitude of Migration in India
Key Statistics (Census 2011 + NSSO)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total migrants | ~450 million (37% of population) |
| Inter-state migrants | ~60 million |
| Intra-state migrants | ~390 million |
| Rural-to-urban migrants | ~80 million |
| Labour migrants (estimated) | 50-100 million |
| Circular migrants | 30-40 million |
| Female migrants | ~70% (mostly marriage-related) |
| Male migrants (economic) | ~200 million |
Major Source and Destination States
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