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Migration, Livelihood and Well-being: Evidence from Indian City Slums

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  • Arup Mitra

    (Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi University Enclave, Delhi, 110007, India, arupmitra7@gmail.com)

Abstract

What helps workers from low-income households to access urban job market information and whether migrants are able to experience upward mobility at the place of destination are the two pertinent issues in urban development which this paper tries to examine. Results based on a slum survey in four Indian cities highlight the importance of various informal channels through which urban jobs are accessed. However, these networks reduce the probability of upward mobility, as network extension leads to excess supplies of labour relative to demand. The issue of upward mobility has also been examined by constructing a well-being (deprivation) index based on the factor analysis of a large number of social, economic, demographic, education and health-specific variables. Although findings are indicative of improvements in the well-being of migrant workers over time, several of the long-duration migrants and natives in the cities still lead a low quality life. The paper, therefore, argues in favour of urban employment programmes.

Suggested Citation

  • Arup Mitra, 2010. "Migration, Livelihood and Well-being: Evidence from Indian City Slums," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 47(7), pages 1371-1390, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:47:y:2010:i:7:p:1371-1390
    DOI: 10.1177/0042098009353621
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mitra, Arup & Nagar, Jay Prakash, 2018. "City size, deprivation and other indicators of development: Evidence from India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 273-283.
    2. Kanhaiya Singh & Kaliappa Kalirajan, 2015. "Towards a slum free city-strategies and policies: the case of Delhi," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 17(1), pages 66-89, April.
    3. Tara Saharan & Karin Pfeffer & Isa Baud, 2018. "Urban Livelihoods in Slums of Chennai: Developing a Relational Understanding," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(2), pages 276-296, April.
    4. Dhillon, Amrita & Iversen, Vegard & Torsvik, Gaute, 2012. "Employee referral, social proximity and worker discipline," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 90, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    5. Mitra, Arup & Tsujita, Yuko, 2014. "Dimensions and determinants of upward mobility : a study based on longitudinal data from Delhi slums," IDE Discussion Papers 448, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    6. Alain Kikandi Kiuma & Christian Kamala Kaghoma & Joelle Mukenyi Kalala & Allegra Kabamba Mbuyi, 2015. "Mobilité interne et entrepreneuriat des jeunes en République démocratique du Congo," Working Papers PMMA 2015-07, PEP-PMMA.

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