The survey aims to generate reliable estimates on migration rates, reasons for migration, short-term migration and other related characteristics of households and individuals across the country.
The objective of the proposed Migration Survey is to generate estimates broadly on the following indicators: Migration rate, rate of out-migration, short-term migration rate, reason for migration and net migration.
The geographical coverage of the survey will be the whole of the Indian Union except the villages in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which are difficult to access and the sampling units will be households and individuals.
In the previous years, migration surveys have been conducted by the NSS since the 9th round (1955), with dedicated rounds such as the 18th (1963–64) and 64th (2007–08) collecting detailed information on various aspects of migration. More recent data on migration were collected through the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2020–21 and the Multiple Indicator Survey (2020–21).
This information about the Migration Survey will benefit policy-makers, planners, researchers and development practitioners by enabling more targeted interventions in areas such as urban planning, housing, transportation, employment generation, social security, and skill development. This data will also help in assessing the implications of migration for inclusive growth and regional development, thereby strengthening India’s socio-economic policy framework. To ensure the comprehensiveness and usefulness of the forthcoming Survey on Migration, the NSO has initiated the process of developing the survey instruments.
