Parliament Question: Increase in Migration from Rural Areas

O.I.H.

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2752 ANSWERED ON 04/08/2026 INCREASE IN MIGRATION FROM RURAL AREAS

2752. Shri Murari Lal Meena:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) whether it has come to the notice of the Government that there is an increasing trend of migration from rural areas from various States and Union Territories in the country due to drought, agrarian distress and limited rural employment, if so, the details thereof, State and UT-wise;

(b) the details of rural labour migration during the last few years, State,UT, district and year-wise including Rajasthan and especially from Dausa Lok Sabha Constituency;

(c) the number of person-days generated under the VB-GRAM-G and other rural employment schemes, State, UT-wise along with the quantum of benefits accrued to Rajasthan and Dausa therefrom; and

(d) whether the Government have any special scheme to prevent migration, strengthen livelihoods and provide additional employment to rural households in drought and agrarian distress-affected areas like Dausa and Eastern Rajasthan, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)

(a) & (b): The Ministry of Rural Development is implementing the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin):

VB–G RAM G scheme which is a demand-driven wage employment programme and seeks to strengthen livelihood security by guaranteeing wage employment to rural households while creating durable and productive rural assets. The Act provides for one hundred twenty five days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every willing rural household whose adult members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work. The Programme adopts a Whole-of- Page 1 of 3Government Approach through convergence with other rural development and allied schemes and accords priority to works relating to Water Security, Core Rural Infrastructure, Livelihood Infrastructure and mitigation of Extreme Weather Events, thereby promoting sustainable livelihood opportunities and reducing distress conditions that may contribute to migration. The Ministry of Rural Development does not maintain data on rural labour migration, including migration attributable to drought, agrarian distress or limited rural employment.

(c): States/Union Territories-wise details of persondays generated under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS and VB–G RAM G Scheme, during the the financial year 2025-26 and 2026-27(as on 31.07.2026) including Rajasthan and Dausa district are given at Annexure.

(d): The VB–G RAM G Scheme contains comprehensive provisions to strengthen rural livelihoods and generate additional employment in areas affected by drought, agrarian distress, natural disasters and other extraordinary circumstances. The Programme accords priority to Livelihood Infrastructure Works for promoting agriculture and allied activities, strengthening self-employment opportunities, enhancing rural enterprises and creating durable livelihood assets, alongside works relating to water security, climate resilience and natural resource management.

Climate resilience and adaptation have been embedded as core priorities under the Programme. The Schedule to the Act includes a dedicated thematic category on "Special Works to Mitigate Extreme Weather Events and Disaster Preparedness", with a focus on disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation and protection of rural communities and assets from floods, cyclones, storms, droughts, landslides, forest fires and other extreme weather events. Illustrative works under this category include cyclone and flood shelters, disaster-resilient community infrastructure, embankments and diversion channels, and water bodies for flood management, restoration of rural infrastructure damaged by disasters, and forest fire management works. These provisions collectively promote climate-resilient villages, sustainable rural livelihoods and enhanced employment opportunities, thereby helping to reduce distress migration.

***** Page 2 of 3Annexure Annexure referred to in the reply to part (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2752 dated 04.08.2026.

States/Union Territories-wise details of persondays generated under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS and VB–G RAM G Scheme, during Financial Year 2025- 26 and 2026-27 (as on 31.07.2026) Persondays generated in Lakhs SI.No States 2025-26 2026-27

(MGNREGS) (MGNREGS+VB- G RAM G) 1 Andhra Pradesh 1859.59 1535.40 2 Arunachal Pradesh 222.24 12.91 3 Assam 561.80 231.46 4 Bihar 2232.16 739.84 5 Chhattisgarh 1096.36 435.42 6 Goa 0.55 0.18 7 Gujarat 312.66 77.76 8 Haryana 72.13 7.96 9 Himachal Pradesh 230.56 20.92 10 Jammu & Kashmir 444.41 49.98 11 Jharkhand 1143.59 114.82 12 Karnataka 796.74 184.24 13 Kerala 775.05 165.60 14 Ladakh 21.71 3.87 15 Madhya Pradesh 1906.95 280.27 16 Maharashtra 1558.88 376.04 17 Manipur 248.81 103.45 18 Meghalaya 315.22 29.64 19 Mizoram 198.78 71.88 20 Nagaland 119.78 13.60 21 Odisha 1266.32 164.56 22 Punjab 242.04 33.52 23 Rajasthan 2104.71 766.02 24 Sikkim 23.99 0.75 25 Tamil Nadu 1753.33 394.99 26 Telangana 731.63 712.09 27 Tripura 262.53 98.78 28 Uttar Pradesh 2406.08 385.85 29 Uttarakhand 131.81 14.67 30 West Bengal 0.00 1.32 31 Andaman & Nicobar 0.63 0.29 32 Dn Haveli And Dd 2.71 0.97 33 Lakshadweep 0.00 0.00 34 Puducherry 11.59 3.26 Total 23055.34 7032.29 District-DAUSA 15.72 6.04 ***** Page 3 of 3