Migration and urbanization are direct indices of the growing economic development in lieu of globalization. Despite growing development, rural India, which relies majorly on agriculture even to date, still faces inaccess to good employment and education opportunities, higher incomes, and diverse services among other concerns, that leads to economic, social, and political migration to cities. With effective rural development, the next generation of farmers could move to cities in search of a better life. As a result of this urbanisation in India is set to reach 50 percent in the next decade. This state of human migration & settlement, already a silent crisis, is imposing pressure on urban planners to not just provide housing and infrastructure, but also employment and education that will enhance their social-economic conditions. In the absence of good jobs and equitable opportunities, migrant workers will continue to live in slum-like conditions and swell the ranks of the informal economy in the cities, which already accounts for 60 percent of employment in urban slums. 

Lack of livelihood advancement for migrant workers

Currently, a considerable number of the population living in urban slums work in the informal sector, as they have less skill, less education, and even lesser capital. By virtue of being predominantly employed by this sector, economic opportunities of slum dwellers are constrained by these significant barriers that fail to provide proportionate access to livelihood advancement. Despite government efforts through various schemes & holistic urban renewal programs, the economy has not been able to provide skilled employment and an income to match for the vast majority of rural migrants, including the urban poor. This is because the root of the problem is the lack of skills and education needed for gainful employment. 

Integrating urban slums with development

The urban exclusion of internal migrants was highlighted by a UNESCO (2012) policy brief which found that migrants could not access their rights in the cities where they lived, with inadequate social, economic, health security, or education for their children. Today, the centrally sponsored and centrally managed component of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is enabling a large number of Indian youths to take up industry-relevant skill training, to help them secure a better livelihood. However, this is aimed at promoting skilling and entrepreneurship for rural development, making the rural workforce attuned to the changing needs of the industry. 

Also, most migrants living in the slums are unable to access government schemes as they are domiciled in another state. This is a big disadvantage for them. The advent of technology should enable access to all schemes which can help in providing big support to them. The government of India’s initiative to have the One Nation One Ration Card is laudable. That said, urbanization and rural empowerment policies at national and subnational levels still need to harmonize, with a view to making benefits of migration available to all. Besides providing basic services and infrastructure, skills, and education, programmes through demand-driven skilling and orientation need to focus on upskilling migrant workers to better their conditions in terms of both work and wages. Besides, programmes access that provides education for migrant children will also stimulate more long-term and robust migration to urban centres.

Helping slums help themselves

Upskilling these dwellers and recognising the urban poor as active leaders of their own development and supporting processes can empower them to improve their living conditions themselves, rather than focusing on windfalls. They also need to be given opportunities to participate in decision-making about distribution and usage of resources - within the community, and at municipality levels. Participation in decision-making about how to improve quality of life will give them a sense of belongingness and empower them to be a part of the change with dignity.

Multi-agency efforts to promote inclusive, sustained & sustainable economic growth

NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index that tracks progress made by the country on various parameters has emphasized in the third edition of the Index, the significance of partnerships in achieving the larger 2030 Agenda. For this we need to foster a multi-stakeholder approach – government, CSR, philanthropy, and implementing agencies must deepen collective, innovative, and transformative solutions to achieve inclusive economic growth. Committed, sustained engagement in a partnership would deliver, facilitate, and catalyse industry-relevant and sustainable practical skills required across sectors by building on technological and user trends.

A deeper understanding of the urban poor, identifying them as a distinct microcosm of the city, and what distinguishes them from the rural poor needs to be clearly mapped. Evaluation of strengths and weaknesses of current urban poverty alleviation policies and programmes could ensure that scarce resources address real needs and have a significant & positive impact on poverty. A holistic rethinking of welfare measures, both legislatively and operationally, would ensure that internal migrants are not left vulnerable and excluded in the future. While state and local governments are the implementing authorities, the central government is required to create favourable legislative and policy frameworks with respect to all internal migrants, including inter-state migrants.

As India reaches the tipping point of transitioning from a mostly rural to an urban society, the focus must be on ensuring the best opportunities for economic growth for all sections of the society. In order to link migrants with urban development, which includes going beyond housing, infrastructure, and sanitation needs, the policies and schemes need to rethink redevelopment and make reforms retrofitting, albeit with dignity. Larger urbanization policies have to merge with rural empowerment programmes, which seems to be missing from most discussions on urbanization policies.