Challenges and Impacts of Transborder Migration on the Economy of West Bengal


International Research Journal of Economics and Management Studies
© 2024 by IRJEMS
Volume 3  Issue 9
Year of Publication : 2024
Authors : Somnath Choudhury
irjems doi : 10.56472/25835238/IRJEMS-V3I9P135

Citation:

Somnath Choudhury. "Challenges and Impacts of Transborder Migration on the Economy of West Bengal" International Research Journal of Economics and Management Studies, Vol. 3, No. 9, pp. 318-322, 2024.

Abstract:

This study has attempted to examine the challenges and impacts of transborder migration on the Economy of West Bengal. Census data from different years was used in the study. The study found that the forced migration from the undivided Bengal began in the early 19th century. However, the endless flow of migration towards West Bengal was triggered by the partition of the country as well as the communal violence in the subsequent period in East Pakistan. Many people have settled in the nearest districts of West Bengal for the survival of their lives. The analysis also reveals that such huge migration has led to population growth in those districts which share the border with Bangladesh. This immigration had adversely affected the economy of these districts quite broadly. As a consequence, West Dinajpur (now Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur), Malda and Murshidabad have remained backwards with low literacy, low worker population rate and high labour force participation rates.

References:

[1] Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) (2011). Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India.
[2] Ansary, R., & Das, B. (2016). Socio-economic status of the Bangladeshi migrants to West Bengal, India. Indian Journal of Regional Science, 48(1), 30- 39.
[3] Bates, C. (2000). Coerced and migrant labourers in India: The colonial experience. Edinburgh Papers in South Asian Studies, 13.
[4] Census of India (1981). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
[5] Census of India (1991, 2001, 2011). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
[6] Chattoraj, K. K. (2018). Impact of Migration and Infiltration from Bangladesh to West Bengal: A Historical and Demographic Perspective. Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 9(4), 870-874.
[7] Das, B., & Ansary, R. (2018). Bangladeshi and Inter-state migrants: Differential adaptation and acceptance by the locals in West Bengal, India. Spatial Demography, 6, 159-178.
[8] Das, S., & Anisujjaman, M. (2023). Identifying the Factors and Processes of Bangladeshi Immigration into West Bengal: A Qualitative Study. In Migration, Regional Autonomy, and Conflicts in Eastern South Asia: Searching for a Home (land) (pp. 89-111). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
[9] Datta, P. (2004). Push-pull factors of documented migration from Bangladesh to West Bengal: A perception study. The Qualitative Report, 9(2), page 337.
[10] Datta, P., Sadhu, S., Bhattacharya, N. B., & Majumdar, K. P. (2008). Demographic effects of forced illegal migration from Bangladesh to West Bengal: A qualitative study. Dialogue, 10(2).
[11] Giri, P. (1998). Urbanisation in West Bengal, 1951-1991. Economic and Political Weekly, 3033-3038
[12] Kumar, C. (2009). Migration and refugee issue between India and Bangladesh. Scholar’s Voice: A new way of thinking, 1(1), 64-82.
[13] Mayilvaganan, M. (2019). Illegal migration and strategic challenges: A case study of undocumented migration from Bangladesh to India. Artha Journal of Social Sciences, 18(4), 25-42.
[14] Nandy, U. (2017). Migration and the Emergence of Refugee Colonise in West-Bengal, 1947-1971. In Proceedings of the Indian History Congress (Vol. 78, pp. 1235-1242). Indian History Congress.
[15] Nath. D.C (2003). Undocumented migration in India, with special reference to West Bengal; a big security threat. Paper presented in the workshop of Indian Statistical Institute.
[16] Ranjan, A. (2016). Migration from Bangladesh: Impulses, risks and exploitations. The Round Table, 105(3), 311-319.
[17] Samaddar. R (1999). The Marginal Nation: Transborder Migration from Bangladesh to West Bengal. Sage Publication, New Delhi.
[18] Sarkar, T., & Kasemi, N. (2019). Migration of Bangladeshi people to Dhupguri block of Jalapiguri district, West Bengal. Governing Council of the Indian Geographical Society, 94(1), 51-64.
[19] Shacknove, A. E. (2017). Who is a Refugee?. In International Refugee Law (pp. 163-173). Routledge.
[20] Worker population rate (WPR) is calculated by the percentage of total number of employed persons to total population at the age of 15 and more.
[21] Labour force participation rate (LFPR) is calculated by the percentage of total number of employed and unemployed persons to total population at the age of 15 and more.
[22] Unemployment rate (UR) is calculated by the percentage of total number of unemployed persons to the sum of employed & unemployed persons at the age of 15 and more.

Keywords:

Growth, Immigration, Labour force participation rate, Population, Unemployment rate.