Published Paper Details:

Due to the open border system between India and Nepal, movement of citizens of both the countries is relatively easy, making labor-based migration a common and ongoing process. This migration is mainly motivated by the search for livelihood, better employment opportunities, family responsibilities and the desire to get rid of economic insecurity. Siddharthnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, which is located near the international border of Nepal, has geographically become a favorable destination area for Nepali migrants. The continued demand for labor in agriculture, construction, small business and service sectors makes the region attractive to migrants. The main objective of the presented study is to comprehensively analyze the socio-economic condition of Nepali migrant families living in Siddharthnagar district. Under this, the migrants' means of livelihood, income stability, residential condition, access to health services, children's education, remittances sent to Nepal and the status of their social integration in the local society have been studied. This study is based on primary data collected from 100 Nepali migrant families, which were selected by Snowball Sampling method, as no official list of migrant families was available and they are scattered in different settlements. The study's findings show that most migrants are employed in the unorganized sector, where wages are low, employment is temporary and working conditions are unsafe. Due to instability in income the standard of living remains limited and housing facilities have also been found inadequate. Access to basic services such as health and education is limited and a large number of migrants are deprived of government welfare schemes, largely due to lack of documentation and information. Despite this, migrants are making significant contributions to the local labor market, agricultural production, construction and service sectors. Therefore, the findings from this study can prove to be extremely useful for policy making, district level planning and development of migrant-centric welfare programs in border areas.