INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION

With increasing globalization and growth of world population growing migration has become an important issue. According to the assessments of The National Intelligence Council (2001) more than 140 million people live outside their countries of birth and migrants comprise more than 15 percent of the population in over 50 countries. It is estimated that their numbers will grow. Under certain conditions differences between migrants and natives are known to have produced stereotypes, discrimination and violent conflicts. Therefore, while migration ameliorates the labour force shortfalls at the place of destination it may evoke discrimination on the grounds of language, culture and religious practices. The greatest sufferers will be the less developed countries which receive a large number of illegal migrants.

INTERNAL MIGRATION

In case of India internal migration and its consequences are more important than international migration. As discussed earlier in Module 6 on India 's population, there is a need to study social responses to demographically induced migration from one region to another within the country. Due to socio-economic and demographic diversity and a strong link between the two, a significant shift is taking place in spatial distribution of population. Strong push factors of insecurity and unemployment are causing migration of people from states like Bihar to Maharashtra, Delhi , Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana where they can find employment in industry or agriculture. As the economic conditions are becoming harsher everywhere, the local people are resenting. They want more jobs for the “sons of the soil.” This leads to conflict. This also has implications for national integration. The major migration issues are:

• Volume and pattern of interdistrict and interstate migration

• Social causes and consequences of internal migration

• Vulnerability of migrants to various types of risks at the place of destination