Exodus of Men from Rural Uttar Pradesh

Book excerpt: Rural to urban migration has become an integral character of developing economies. Sources of livelihoods and earnings in rural households are no longer confined to agriculture and are increasingly being diversified through migration of family one or more member within and beyond national boundaries. Migration is not a new phenomenon in India rather country has a long history of migration, which has played an important role in its social history, development and growth and culture. This study of the nature and determinants of male out-migration from rural UP focusing on six villages in Jaunpur District started with an observation that despite high male out-migration from rural UP, little attention has been given to understand the dynamics and process of migration in rural UP. Although migration has become the most opted strategy of diversification of livelihoods for rural households in UP, literature on it remains scarce. Literature on migration and its link with social groups are also scarce for UP. The work started with the proposition that migration is a risk and income diversification strategy (NELM approach) by rural households in UP. Along with linkages between migration and social group there is also a dearth of literature on migration as a risk diversification strategy in UP. Using primary data from the case study district of Jaunpur in eastern UP, India, firstly, a survey in the origin was carried out, and then migrants from the same households were tracked and interviewed at their respective destinations. Contents Chapter 1. Introduction. Chapter 2. Research Methodology, Database and Area of the Study Chapter 3. Context and Drivers of Male Out-Migration from Uttar Pradesh: State Level Insights from NSSO Data Chapter 5. Is Migration Risk and Income Diversification (NELM) Strategy for Rural Households in Uttar Pradesh? Chapter 6. Migrants Perspectives and Experiences at Destination Chapter 7. Conclusion References