National Conference on urban issues and

Architectural Interventions 2015 (NCUIAI-2015)

ISBN: 978-81-929293-0-9

UNDERSTANDING RURAL TO URBAN MIGRATION:

THROUGH THE CASE OF NAGALAND
Ankur Yadav a, Sudarshan Shinde b
M Tech (Urban Planning-pursuing),
Department of Architecture & Planning,
Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur-440010
ankur.edulead@gmail.com a , shindesudarshan@students.vnit.ac.in b

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ABSTRACT:
Rapid urbanization is the impact of continuous rural-urban migration and its linkages. Lack of
urban facilities, upward mobility, unemployment and livelihood issues are the main causes for
migration.
The growing concentration of population in urban centres is generally attributed to a number of
socio-economic and lifestyle conditions, such as the higher capacity of the urban institutions to
absorb more workers, avenues for a non-agricultural means of livelihood and higher income
generation opportunities.
Other than the employment aspect, people migrate to the urban areas to avail various selfenhancing facilities and services such as education, training avenues for vocational skills which are
not available in the villages as well as for other family related concerns. Nagaland is a state in
Northeast India with a total population of about 19, 80,602 persons (Census, 2011) where migration
is an important factor in changing the size and structure of the population.
The phenomenon of migration from the rural areas has contributed largely to the rapid growth of
urban population (in 1981, the urban population of the state was 1.2 lakhs, which increased to 3.5
lakhs in 2001). Migration from rural areas to the urban centres has created serious impact on the
environment besides causing strain on the limited urban services and infrastructure and increase in
urban poverty and unemployment levels. This paper deals with the rural-to-urban migration in
Nagaland.

Keywords: Migration, Migrant(s), Rural-to-Urban Migration, Urban Centres, Nagaland.

Introduction
Urbanization is unstoppable and it is generally associated with rural development and migration.
Sustained economic growth and higher urban wages are providing a new impetus to urbanization in
India. People move from one place to another to get improved livelihoods.
Shift of work force from rural economy and their absorption in urban sectors have created serious
stress in receiving regions as well. The cities and towns may or may not be able to assimilate the
migrants because of limited capacities/resources.
Migrants show high selectivity in choosing their destinations (linked with availability of
employment and other opportunities) leading to regionally unbalanced urbanization as also distortions
in urban hierarchy.

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Case Study Nagaland

Fig. 1: Map of Nagaland

Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Nagalandmap.png

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Nagaland is a state in Northeast India consisting of eleven districts - Kohima, Dimapur,

Mokokchung, Wokha, Tuensang, Mon, Kiphire, Longleng, Peren, Phek and Zunheboto. Except
Dimapur, which has rail and air connectivity with the rest of the country, all other urban areas are
connected only through hill roads. And in the absence of major industries and other corporate houses
in the State, out of these eleven districts, the administrative headquarters serve as the urban hub and
this is where the major urbanization process is taking place. The most notable contributor to the rapid
urbanization and increase of urban population density in the State is presumably due to increase of
migrant population. A migrant may either be a local person migrated from the rural areas from
within the State or an external migrant from without. The growing concentration of population in
urban centres is generally attributed to a number of socio-economic and lifestyle conditions, such as
the higher capacity of the urban institutions to absorb more workers, avenues for a non-agricultural
means of livelihood and higher income generation opportunities.
Demographic Profile
The population of Nagaland increased from 3.69 lakhs in 1961 to 19.89 lakhs (5 percent of the
population of North East) in 2001 and 19.81 lakhs in 2011. Nagaland has recorded progressively high
decadal growth in population, increasing from 39.9 percent in 1971 to 64.4 percent in 2001. Although
as per 2011 Census (provisional), there is a fall in the total population of the state in the year 2011, the
report has not been accepted by the State Government. The state has experienced the highest decadal
growth of population in the country during 1991-2001 of 64.41 percent as compared to the all India
growth rate of 21.34 percent during the same period. The population grew at the rate of 5 percent per
annum during 1971-81, 5.6 percent per annum during 1981-91, and 6.4 percent per annum during
1991-2001. People living in rural areas constituted 82.3 percent of Nagalands population in 2001, as
against 90 percent in 1971 (Census of India, 1971 to 2001). This is an indication of the migration that
is taking place in the State from rural to urban areas.

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The important features of the states demography are revealed by the figures stated in Table 1 as
given below:
Table 1: Demographic profile of Nagaland
S.
No.

Particulars

1961

1971

1981 1991

2001 2011
(Provisional)

369

516

775

1210

1989 1981

Total population (000)

Decennial Growth of population (%) _

39.88

50.05 56.08

64.41 -0.47

Density of Population (per sq. km.)

22

31

47

120

Percentage of rural population

94.80

90.00

84.48 82.79

82.26 -

Level of urbanization (%)

5.20

10.0

15.52 17.21

17.74 -

Growth of urbanization (%)

16.6

10.4

8.9

5.4

Literacy rate (%)

17.91

Literacy rate: Male (%)

27.2

Literacy rate: Female (%)

13.0

10

Sex ratio (females per 1000 males)

933

11

Percentage of workers

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5.6

27.40

42.57 61.65

67.11 80.11

35.02

50.06 67.52

71.77 83.29

18.65

39.89 61.65

61.92 76.69

871

863

909

886

C
NA

119

NA

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Source: Census of India, 1961 to 2001 and

www.census2011.co.in/census/state/nagaland.html

48.23 42.68

Provisional

931

42.74 -

Census

Report

2011

&

As per the Census of India 2001, Nagaland recorded a total of 3,52,821 urban population as
against 16,35,815 rural population. This shows a marginal increase in the percentage of urban
population to the total population from 17.21 percent in 1991 to 17.74 percent in 2001. (Table 2)

Table 2: District-wise Rural-Urban Population from 1981 to 2001

District
Kohima

Mokokchung

Tuensang

Phek

Population
Total
Rural
Urban

1981
2,50,105
1,82,887
67,218

1991
3,87,581
270,185
117,396

2001
3,14,366
2,35,782
78,584

Total
Rural
Urban
Total
Rural
Urban
Total
Rural
Urban

1,04,193
86,133
18,060
1,52,332
1,40,132
12,200
70,618
70,618
0

1,58,374
133,571
24,803
2,32,906
2,11,888
21,018
1,02,156
93,790
8,366

2,27,230
1,96,026
31,204
4,14,801
3,85,147
29,654
1,48,246
1,35,383
12,863

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78,938
72,040
6,898

1,49,699
1,38,909
10,790

2,59,604
2,43,485
16,119

Wokha

Total
Rural
Urban

57,583
49,403
8,180

82,612
68,235
14,377

1,61,098
1,23,402
37,696

Zunheboto

Total
Rural
Urban

61,161
53,483
7,678

96,218
84,745
11,473

1,54,909
1,32,100
22,809

Dimapur

Total
Rural
Urban

3,08,382
1,84,490
1,23,892

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Mon

Total
Rural
Urban

Source: Statistical Hand Book of Nagaland 1984, 1993 & 2009 and District Census Handbook,
Village and Town Directory of all the districts of Nagaland for the year 1981, 1991 and 2001.

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Problems
Growth and development are mostly accompanied by multiple problems and issues associated
with the movement of people and materials in larger scale than the landscape can hold. Overnight
makeshift living arrangements, congestion of streets with people and vehicles, disappearance of small
strips of open spaces in the urban areas, etc. are observed.
Pollutions of all types increase and consumption multiplies as population gets doubled. Disposal
of wastes becomes an issue, drains get clogged, wastes accumulate and probability of epidemic
outbreak becomes higher.
However, the matter is more complicated in a State like Nagaland where land, even within the
urban Municipal areas are legally owned by the tribal community and within the given community
also, the particular village or villages on whose traditional lands, the urban centres were established
continue to have a hold on infrastructural development of the towns as they own the land and hence
planning for urban infrastructure development encounters problems.

Migration in Nagaland
Though the natural growth of population is not to be ruled out, the growth of urban population is
attributed largely to migrant population as well. The migrants in Nagaland may be basically classified
into the following categories:
a) Indigenous or local migrants who migrate to nearby towns from their native villages in the State
in search of better livelihoods or for other family and personal reasons. Almost always, these
migrants settle permanently in the towns though they continue to maintain a close link with their
village of origin.
b) Migrants from outside the State whose reasons for leaving their native village to come to
Nagaland may or may not be exactly the same as the local migrants, but they also come for the
same avenues as the indigenous migrants. This category of migrants does not settle in the State
permanently and eventually return to their native States.
Rural-to-Urban Migration
It was only in the post-independence period, with the introduction of the national policy for tribal
development that significant urbanization started in Nagaland. Since the formation of the State in
1963, the small administrative blocks and headquarters have been steadily growing in population, as
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more and more people migrate from the surrounding villages in search of jobs, education, health care
and various other lifestyles that are not available in the villages. Subsequently, the small townships
and hamlets have been expanding and growing in complexity to accommodate the growing
population. Judging by the number of people living in rural areas constituting 82.3 percent of
Nagalands population in 2001, as against 90 percent in 1971, the Nagaland Human Development
Report (HDR 2004, pp.17) noted that such distribution of the rural-urban population is an indication
of the migration that is taking place in the State from rural to urban areas. Greater impetus was added
after the grant of statehood to Nagaland in 1963. Since then, spread of literacy and the proliferation of
new occupations have led to a remarkable increase in the rate of urbanization. Also, Kohima as the
State capital and Dimapur as the commercial hub of the State appear to have the highest and most
sustained pull over the rural population to migrate.
The unemployment and poverty of the rural population are the main causes of migration to the
State from other States as well, which is taking place on a large scale. Unemployment pushes
migrants towards areas with greater employment opportunities. Generally, given their poor economic
background, majority of these migrants are not well educated and qualified for modern urban services.
Therefore, a majority of them engage themselves in petty business activities such as vegetable
vendors, grocery stores, petty shops like pan shops, hotels and tea stalls etc. Towns and cities attract
the surplus labour from nearby or far-off villages; thereby they become the pivotal centres of
attraction. In rural areas the burgeoning poverty, meagre employment opportunities, low and
uncertain/irregular wages, lack of education and health facilities act as push factors and induce people
to migrate to the urban places. The migration process affects the areas to which migrants have moved
in and areas from which they have moved out.

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Consequences
Though agriculture still remains the main occupational activity in rural Nagaland, agricultural
production is mostly for domestic consumption. Due to lack of infrastructural facilities such as
connectivity, market linkages, facilities for storing and value addition for the agro products, the
creation of opportunity for sustained employment and income generation is insufficient. Some of the
emerging problems are closely related to environment, apart from others such as infrastructural strain
and poverty.
The growth of population has a number of positive impacts on the environment and human wellbeing, i.e. higher population densities mean lower per capita costs of providing energy, health care,
infrastructure and services. Also, urbanization has historically been associated with declining birth
rates, which reduces population pressure on land and natural resources. Despite all these positive
impacts, almost all the major towns of the region are facing following complications:
a) Waterborne diseases are found most commonly in low-income neighbourhoods as a result of
inadequate sanitation, drainage and solid waste collection services. Health risks, especially to the
poor, are also posed by pesticides and industrial effluents.
b) The productivity of many cities is adversely affected by traffic congestion and air pollution. The
loss in productivity includes the total productive time wasted in traffic and the associated increase
in the costs of operating and maintaining vehicles such as wear and tear as a result of idling in
traffic and frequent acceleration and braking. For example, delays, which may result in late arrival
for employment, meetings, and education, result in lost business. Furthermore, fuel wastage
owing to increased idling, acceleration and braking increases air pollution and carbon dioxide
emissions.
c) Uncollected and improperly handled solid waste can have serious health consequences. They
block drainage systems and contaminate groundwater at landfill sites. Most urban centres in the
state are also unable to manage the increasing amounts of hazardous wastes generated by
hospitals and the rapid growth of industries. Also, none of the towns in Nagaland has a functional
sewerage treatment system.
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d) Conversion of agricultural land and forest, as well as reclaiming of wetlands, for urban uses and
infrastructure, is associated with widespread removal of vegetation to support urban ecosystem
and put additional pressure on nearby areas that may be even more ecologically sensitive. Major
urban centres such as Dimapur, Kohima and Mokokchung are the most affected and
environmentally fragile areas which are triggered by rapid expansion of human settlement and
infrastructural development.

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Suggestions
1. The basic rights and entitlements should be ensured for all migrant workers and their families
through coordinated inter-governmental efforts and civil society action. Action should be focused
on improving the social and political environment in which migrants live and work.
2. Improving and upgrading the condition of rural schools and the opening of institutions such as
higher secondary and degree colleges, wherever feasible, will boost the rural economy by creating
the market for various institution related enterprises. Consequently, the pressures of rural
migration would be reduced.
3. With Nagaland being located in a high rainfall area with hilly terrain prone to landslides, unless
the rural roads are well surfaced and made for all weather, the agricultural sector will continue to
suffer, resulting in more and more farming population migrating to the towns in search of
alternative livelihood. Travel facilities from the village to the towns need to be strengthened with
more regular transport services so that the public can commute with ease. Private sector
investments in the transport service should be encouraged.
4. A major policy focus has to be on a more vigorous pro-poor development strategy in the
backward areas. This should address the needs of these regions, and simultaneously improve the
access of the poor to land, Common Property Resources, financial resources and governance
institutions. The Synergy between migration and development requires to be strengthened.
5. To promote sustainable development in mountain ecosystems, such as in hill states like Nagaland,
be it in the rural or urban areas, it is essential that the causes and consequences of migration and
concentration of large population in limited spaces and effects of major industrial development
are well understood.
6. Housing is another pressing issue for the urban areas due to the increasing population. As of now,
there are no major housing schemes in any of the urban areas. It is necessary to formulate
schemes for developing affordable homes for the urban poor, especially in Kohima and Dimapur
where housing problems are more acute.
7. The main problem is that poor migrants lack bargaining strength. Hence steps taken to organise
them, improve their negotiating strength and level of awareness are necessary.
Conclusion
The present scenario of migration from the rural areas to the urban centres is taking place at a
rapid pace in Nagaland. As such, there is an urgent need to address the growing infrastructural and
social needs of the increasing urban population, problems relating to land acquisition, issues of public
safety and environmental protection. These are crucial areas requiring judicious urban planning and
development. Besides, an important measure would be to provide urban amenities in the rural areas so
that rural based activities would take place in the urban areas and the urban oriented activities would
also take place in the rural settlements.
The recognition of such rural-urban interface should be taken into perspective for the all-round
development of the State. It is imperative to develop a frame work to facilitate a dialogue between
national and local government to ensure better integration between national macro-economic and
sectoral policies and local initiatives; and to support the capacity of local institutions and government
to identify the opportunities and constraints for poverty reduction and development provided by ruralurban linkages.
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References
1. Kundu, Amitabh. "Migration and urbanisation in India in the context of poverty
alleviation." International Conference and Workshop on Policy Perspectives on Growth,
Economic Structures and Poverty Reduction. Beijing, China, June 3-9, 2007, pp.1-3.
2. Aier, A. and Kithan, T. (2011): Rural-Urban Migration: A Thematic Report 2009, Department
of Planning and Coordination, Government of Nagaland, pp. (xii,2-6, 12-17, 48-53).
Brahmachary, Pradip (2014): Development of infrastructure in the districts of Nagaland,
Chapter-III, Profile of Nagaland, pp.61-64.
3. http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/20472/8/09_chapter%203.pdf
4. Srivastava, R and Sasikumar, S.K. (2003) An overview of migration in India, its impacts and key
issues in Regional Conference on Migration, Development and Pro-Poor Policy Choices in Asia,
Dhaka, Bangladesh, June 22-24, pp.21-22.
5. Maosanen Longchar, Lumami (2014). Rural-Urban Migration and its Impact on the Urban
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6. Nagaland Wikipedia (2015): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagaland (viewed 25/01/2015).

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