Asymmetric Information on Migration Reasons and Migrants' Conditions in the Bengal-Mumbai Corridor: An Origin-Destination Perspective

Sourav Mandal, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Archana K. Roy, Professor

Most migration studies focus either on migrants at the destination or their left behind families at the origin, often missing crucial information of both. To fulfil this research gap, this study uses origin-destination based approach to understand the information gap between migrants and their families regarding the reasons for migration and working and living conditions of the migrants in Bengal-Mumbai Corridor Migration in India. This study uses cross sectional mixed method approach and utilized both quantitative and qualitative primary data collected between December 2023 and May 2024. The quantitative analyses were done in Stata and Qualitative analysis was done in Nvivo. 253 households were interviewed at the origin and among then 158 were traced back at destination for interview. Finding reveals that economic factors i.e., poverty, low wages, and unemployment are primary drivers of migration, but family-related factor like indebtedness and family conflict show significant differences in perception between migrants and their families. The study highlights a considerable information gap, with families often unaware of migrants' exact living conditions, employment, and income. There is need for a more holistic understanding of migration, considering both origin and destination, to address the complexities and hardships faced by migrants and their families.

Keywords: Internal Migration and Urbanization, Mixed methods research

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