Determination of Key Correlates of Agricultural Labour Migration in Less Resources Endowed Areas of Tamil Nadu

This study has been conducted in the backward district of Perambalur, which is a less resource-endowed district of Tamil Nadu, with the following objectives: (i) to identify the major causes and empirically determine the key correlates of agricultural labour migration in the study area, and (ii) to identify the causes for rural out-migration. The study has been conducted by taking landless (group I) and landed (group II) respondents. The Garatte ranking of the causes of migration has revealed that of the ten push factors and ten pull factors (both economic and non-economic), lack of continuous employment at place of origin is at the first rank with mean score of 77 and 78 per cent for group I and group II, respectively, followed by low wages at place of origin and economic condition of the family. On the pull side also, economic reasons, viz. availability of job at destination has achieved the first rank with mean score of 75 for group I and 74 for group II, followed by hope of getting a job and higher wages. In the case of non-economic reasons, surplus labour availability at places of origin has received maximum scoring on the push side and skill development on the pull side. The study has concluded that though both economic and non-economic reasons are responsible for migration of agricultural labourers, economic reasons are stronger. Not only that, push forces of migration have been identified more strong than pull forces in catalyzing migration. The study has given some policy implications also for consideration of policymakers in Indian agriculture.