Covid-19: Agricultural Labour Migration in Telangana

Author: Shaik Muneer, D. Kumara Swamy, T. Lavanya and K. Suhasini

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Abstract

The present field study was undertaken to examine the pattern of labour migration due to COVID-19 pandemic and the factors associated with it in Mahbubnagar district of Telangana during 2020-21. Various statistical tools were employed for analysis of the data. It is found that before the pandemic, among the migrant agricultural labourer households majority i.e., 75.00 per cent went for rural to urban migration followed by 25.00 per cent of the went for rural-to-rural migration for agricultural works and during the COVID-19 period, 46.67 per cent of the respondents went for rural to urban migration followed by 30.00 per cent went for rural to rural migration, 23.33 per cent of the respondents went for partially rural to urban migration and partially rural-to-rural migration for agricultural works respectively. Before COVID-19, majority of the migrant agricultural labourers i.e., 48.33 per cent went for inter district migration followed by intra district migration. During COVID-19 period, majority of the migrant labourers i.e., 51.67 per cent went to intra district migration, followed by inter district migration. Major push factors affecting migration of agricultural labourers were predominant rainfed farming at the native place, low standard of living in own village, major pull factors affecting migration were adequate return in non-farm sector adequate employment opportunities in the non-farming sector. Major significant factors affecting duration of migration were number of days of employment, monthly expenditure and dependency ratio with regression co-efficient 0.963, 0.004 and 1.710 respectively.

Keywords

Agriculture labourers, Migration and COVID-19

Conclusion

1. Among the sample migrant agricultural labourers, when compared to the before the pandemic, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in 'Rural-to-rural migration’ and some of the migrant agricultural labourers who went to ‘Rural-to-urban migration’ were shifted to both ‘Rural-to-rural and rural-to-urban migration' due to non-availability of work during the pandemic lockdown. 2. Before the pandemic to during the pandemic time, sample migrant agricultural labourers who went for intra district migration was increased followed by inter-district migration was decreased and they shifted to both intra district and inter district type migration and interstate migration was remained the same. 3. Among different factors affecting the duration of migration of agricultural labourers, the variables such as number of days of employment, monthly expenditure and dependency ratio were found positive and significant. 4. Major push factors affecting migration were predominant rainfed farming at the native place followed by the low standard of living the major pull factors affecting migration were adequate returns in the non-farm sector followed by adequate employment opportunities in the non-farming sector outside the village.

References

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How to cite this article

Shaik Muneer, D. Kumara Swamy, T. Lavanya and K. Suhasini (2023). Covid-19: Agricultural Labour Migration In Telangana. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(10): 1632-1638.