The recently released numbers on migration levels in different states from the decennial census brings out some interesting insights on the linkages between migration and levels of development as measured by per capita income. One stark factor that stands is the huge disparities in the migration level across the states which in census parlance is defined as movement from one village or town to another village or town across or within states. While migration levels in the small western state of Goa was 77.4% it was a low 22.6% in Jammu and Kashmir.

At the all India level the share of the migrant population is more than one third with 37% of the people having moved from one place to another. However, this number only serves to camouflage the sizable differences in the level of migration across the states. Among the 21 large states for which we have compiled data we find that at the top of the chain are states like Maharashtra and Goa, both western states, where the share migrant population is more than half. While it is a high 77.4% in Goa it was an equally impressive 51% in Maharashtra.

Then there is the next category of states where the level of migration varies from 40% to 50%. There are at least 89 states in this category and include Punjab, Kerala, Delhi, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. Most of these states are in the north and southern parts of the country.

In the next rung are 8 states where the share of migrant labour hovers from 30% to 40%. They are Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. The three important states at the bottom of the list includes Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir with the levels of migration only 29.6%, 28% and 22.6% respectively.

Looking at the rankings one finds that there is no regional trend. States with the highest level of migrant population include those in the north, west and south of the country. However, states with the least amount of migrant population is mainly in the north and the East. But what is more striking is the close linkages between levels of migrant population and per capita incomes.

Thus we find that the top ten important states with the highest level of migration are also the states with the highest per capita incomes. Vice versa states with lower levels of migrant population are in the second half of the ranking of states in terms of per capita income. This is also buttressed by the per capita income of people in states with different levels of migration.

Thus we find that while the average per capita income of people in five states with the highest level of migration was Rs 1,07, 507 in 2010-11 that of the states in the next five grouping was only Rs 78,385. Similarly per capita incomes of people in five states in the third and fourth rungs of migration levels was only Rs 49,786 crore and Rs 34,321 crore while the two states in the last rung had a per capita income of only Rs 29,600.

All this clearly indicates that high levels of migration is certainly linked with high per capita incomes and vice versa. To find out the cause and effect, that is does high per capita income cause greater mobility or is it greater mobility that help improve per capita income levels, one would have to do a more detailed analysis.