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The complex interplay of out-migration and urbanisation: rural to urban transformation in Murshidabad district, India

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Abstract

The process of Indian Urbanisation has been taking a different shape due to the emergence of numerous census towns. Existing literature reveals that the phenomenal increase of census town in the last decade does not follow the metropolitan city-based development model rather it is more rooted in the shifting of economic activity from the farm to the non-farm sector. The context of the development of these settlements in India varies widely from state to state. In West Bengal, Murshidabad as a district, known for low economic profile and located far away from the Kolkata Metropolitan area, has experienced high growth rate of census towns, nearly three times in the last decade. This article is trying to identify the processes of urbanisation in the district and whether it follows the contemporary urbanisation theories or not. The study also investigates factors leading to the process of urbanisation. Primary and secondary data have mostly been used for analysis in this article. The paper emphasizes the contribution of contemporary theories that explain the growth of census towns and the role of secondary and primary data in capturing their characteristics. This article finds that agricultural lands are being converted into non-agricultural land due to agricultural distress. Simultaneous out-migration of labourers, especially of younger generation males to other sectors such as construction and itinerant petty trading in other states help to boost non-farm activities, which indirectly ignites the growth of census towns in Murshidabad district. The study also validates theoretical discourse on urbanisation in India.

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Fig. 1

Source: Prepared by Author

Fig. 2

Source: Directorate of Agriculture, Government of West Bengal

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Source: Directorate of Agriculture, Government of West Bengal

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Source: Prepared by Author

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Source: Google Earth image

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Source: Google Earth image

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Source: Google Earth image

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Source: Google Earth image

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Source: Google Earth image

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Source: Google Earth image

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Source: Google Earth image

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Source: Google Earth image

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Source: Google Earth image

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Source: Google Earth image

Fig. 15

Source: Field Survey, 2017

Fig. 16

Source: Field Survey, 2017–2018

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Notes

  1. Census of India declares an area urban with basis of three criteria; Population at least 5000 in an area, a density of 400 persons per square kilometer and 75% male main working population engaged in non-farm activities.

  2. The main agent of migration in the dafadari system.

  3. Main mason in the construction work.

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Acknowledgements

This work is a part of the IND-URBBS (India – Urban-Rural Boundaries and Basic Services) research project that was supported by the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD).

Funding

This work was supported by University Grand commission (IN), 3563/(NET-JUNE 2013), Kiran Kumar Roy.

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  1. Department of Geography, The University of Burdwan, Bardhaman, West Bengal, India

    Kiran Kumar Roy & Gopa Samanta

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Roy, K.K., Samanta, G. The complex interplay of out-migration and urbanisation: rural to urban transformation in Murshidabad district, India. GeoJournal 88, 5085–5108 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-023-10909-3

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