Circular Internal Migration and Development in India

It has been recognized for some time by migration experts that internal short-term population movements ranging from daily commuting to seasonal migration have become widespread all over Asia. India is one such country where internal migration is more important than international migration in terms of the numbers of people involved and possibly even the volume of remittances. Besides, temporary internal migration is more likely to involve the poor, lower caste, and less educated and thus has large implications for poverty reduction and meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Such movements have become a routine part of livelihood strategies for people living in marginal areas such as droughtprone villages and forested areas and there is powerful evidence which shows that temporary migration is growing. India is now criss-crossed all over by thousands of circular migratory routes between villages within the same district, across districts, and across states sometimes at opposite ends of the country.

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