The impact of labour migration on economic disparity in India

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25360037
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Area studies
• Research Institution: Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization
• Principal Investigator: TSUJITA YUKO 独立行政法人日本貿易振興機構アジア経済研究所, その他部局等, 海外研究員 (60466068)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 出稼ぎ労働 / 経済格差 / インド

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research project aims to examine the impact of increasing labour migration on the labour market in the rural areas in the short and mid-term. By doing so, the mechanisms behind growing economic disparity in recent years has been investigated as well. The research area is rural Bihar, one of the poorest states and the main source of seasonal labour in India. Household survey and focus group discussions were carried out. This research found that wealthier villagers tend to be engaged in better-paid jobs outside the state, while poorer villagers have no choice but to engaged in low-paid jobs. We do not find large impacts of increasing male labour out-migration on agriculture and non-agriculture wages as well as on female labour participation. Different employment opportunities across economic strata outside the states further exacerbate economic disparity in recent years.

Free Research Field

地域研究、社会政策