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The Majha region emerges as the highest contributor at 20.51%, followed by Malwa at 14.28% and Doaba at 11.27%
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Hotspots like Amritsar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshahr), Gurdaspur, and Ferozepur report migration rates surpassing 30%
An extensive examination by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, into the emigration patterns from rural Punjab sheds light on the staggering Rs 14,342 crores borrowed by Punjabi families to facilitate migration, with Canada, Dubai, and Australia being the preferred destinations.
The groundbreaking research, titled “A Study on Overseas Migration from Rural Punjab: Trends, Causes, and Consequences,” led by Professor Shalini Sharma, Professor Manjeet Kaur, and Assistant Professor Amit Guleria from PAU’s Department of Economics and Sociology, underscores the significant migration rates in different regions of Punjab. The Majha region emerges as the highest contributor at 20.51%, followed by Malwa at 14.28% and Doaba at 11.27%. Hotspots like Amritsar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshahr), Gurdaspur, and Ferozepur report migration rates surpassing 30%.
The study covers 44 villages from 22 districts, revealing that 13.34% of rural households have at least one family member abroad. Females (65%) notably surpass males (35%) in obtaining study visas due to their ability to secure the required IELTS bands.
Professor Manjeet Kaur, one of the researchers, explains that the study, conducted from 2021 to 2023 with a budget of Rs 2.04 lakh, aimed to “enumerate the extent of overseas migration in Punjab.” The migration period considered was from 1990 to 2022, showing a stark 74% increase since 2016.
The financial burden on families to send loved ones abroad is a sad reality revealed in the study. Families have spent between Rs 18-25 lakh on study visas and up to Rs 4 lakh on work visas, spouse visas, or permanent residency. Some families even spent Rs 25 to 32.50 lakh on migrants who took illegal routes.
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The study concludes with suggestions to curb the brain drain from Punjab
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A resounding 96% advocate for improving employment opportunities, 27% emphasize plugging loopholes in the system, ensuring citizen safety, 21% call for making agriculture more viable, and 8% demand enhanced education in government institutes
The study discloses that at least 19.38% of migrant families sold assets, including land, plots/houses, topsoil, cars, gold, and tractors. Gold, especially, was the preferred item among all categories of migrant households. Low-caste, landless, and labor households with low income predominantly resorted to selling gold. Approximately 18% of small farm households and less than 6% of medium and large farm households sold land to fund overseas education.
Regarding the reasons for migration, the study found that factors such as low income, lack of employment opportunities (72%), corruption, and systemic problems (62%), drug prevalence (52%), social insecurity (50%), small land holdings (35%), landlessness (28%), and debt (24%) played significant roles.
As per the study’s findings, about 56% of households borrowed money for migration, amounting to an average of Rs 3.13 lakh per household. The total borrowed for migration across the state is estimated at Rs 14,342 crores, with 38.8% being non-institutional borrowing and 61.2% institutional.
In terms of destinations, males, landless, minimally educated, and SCs from Doaba predominantly emigrated to the UAE on work visas. Canada and Australia, particularly via study visas, were identified as dream destinations for the young and Jatt Sikhs from all farm size categories in Majha and Malwa.
The study concludes with suggestions to curb the brain drain from Punjab. A resounding 96% advocate for improving employment opportunities, 27% emphasize plugging loopholes in the system, ensuring citizen safety, 21% call for making agriculture more viable, and 8% demand enhanced education in government institutes.
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