PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Rural Development and Migration Prevention Commission acknowledged that the migration, particularly from the mountainous districts of the State, remains high. However, at the same time, the trend of reverse migration is discernible in some areas. The commission says in its report to the State government that the migration is going on unabated principally thanks to the social and economic challenges the people from the mountainous districts are still facing.
Between 2008 and 2018, about 3.83 lakh people from 6,338 gram Panchayats migrated temporarily, while nearly 1.19 lakh people from 3,946 gram Panchayats left their villages permanently as per the report. The officials from the rural development department said that the data shows temporary migration has been significantly higher than permanent migration during this period.
The main driver remains the lack of employment and livelihood opportunities in their native villages, the reports say. Other key factors include limited access to education and healthcare, weak infrastructure, falling agricultural income and crop damage caused by wild animals, which continue to push residents out of rural and hill areas.
District-wise, Tehri recorded the highest migration share at 16.4 per cent, followed by Almora at 15.5 per cent and Pauri at 12.8 per cent. The figures for other hill districts are the following: Pithoragarh 8.2 percent, Chamoli 7.7 per cent, Rudraprayag 5.5 per cent, Bageshwar 5.2 per cent and Champawat 5.1 per cent. Among the plain districts, Dehradun and Haridwar each accounted for 4.6 per cent, while Udham Singh Nagar recorded 3.2 per cent migration.
Overall, the mountainous districts contributed nearly 87.7 per cent of total migration, compared to 12.3 per cent from the plains, highlighting the disproportionate impact on mountainous regions, the civic body officials said.
The report further notes a positive trend in recent years. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, around 6,500 people have returned to the State in reverse migration. The officials attributed this shift to government schemes, self-employment promotion, improved road and digital connectivity and skills gained in urban areas.
The research officer at the commission, G V Chandani said that many returnees have started livelihoods in agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, tourism, homestays and small enterprises.
“If sustainable employment, basic services and effective scheme implementation are ensured in rural areas, reverse migration can become a long-term solution,” he averred.
