Despite lull in nation’s granary, migrant labour flock to Punjab

The agriculturally most-advanced state plays host to about 3.90 lakh migrant labourers during lean season every year but their number nearly doubles during peak seasons of crop sowing and harvesting when about 7.74 lakh workers throng the fields of Punjab. Farm economists M S Sidhu, P S Rangi and Karam Singh have brought out the changing face of this sector over the years as compared to findings of previous such studies conducted by PAU in 1978-79 and 1983-84.

The study has revealed that despite the stagnation in Punjab agriculture and slowing down of rate of investment, the farm sector continues to attract farm labourers from other states though at a slower pace. The number of such migrants increased by 35.31 per cent during the past 12 years as compared to 30 per cent recorded during the five-year period separating the first two studies. The researchers have attributed this decline to the changing cropping pattern in the granary of the country.

They have pointed out that from 1978-79 to 1983-84, the state registered an annual increase in area under paddy by 86,000 hectares whereas subsequently upto 1995-96 the yearly increase has been only 57,000 hectares, thus cutting down the requirement for farm hands. “Moreover, the cropping intensity has become stagnant at around 183 per cent in recent years and there is little scope for its increase in the near future,” they haveobserved.

The latest study sampled 330 migrant labourers, 120 local labourers and 120 farmers in Ludhiana, Patiala, Faridkot and Amritsar districts. Recording a significant rise in earnings of these labourers over the period, the researchers have remarked that this was primarily responsible for their continuing influx into Punjab. They found their average annual income to be Rs 9,197 at present as compared to Rs 2,350 and Rs 1,309 during previous two studies, thus marking an increase of 291.4 per cent and 602.6 per cent, respectively.

While 52 per cent of the force is reported to be engaged on casual basis, 32 per cent are seasonal labourers. The former get Rs 35 to Rs 50 daily during lean season and Rs 55 to Rs 70 per day, besides meals, during peak season. Sixteen per cent of the migrants work on permanent basis and earn Rs 11,091 per annum on an average. Contrary to the criticism being voiced in some circles in Punjab over the migrants getting entrenched in local polity, the study has pointed out that only 1.52 per cent of them were registered as voters in the state.

As a result of their working away from home, changes in their language, food habits, dress and customs have been noticed. About eight per cent of them had changed their names to Punjabi names and six per cent of them were found to be wearing karas or iron bracelets symbolic of Sikh religion.

Dispelling another impression, migrants reported very little harassment at the hands of the police at railway stations.

Farmers too employed migrants through direct negotiations and as a measure of their growing faith in them, 52 per cent of the former made advance payments to them. Though 92 per cent of local labourers did not view the influx of migrants favourably and blamed them for curtailing their job and wage prospects forcing them to switch occupations, the relations between the two as well as farmers were reported to be cordial.