Emigration in 21st-Century India Governance, Legislation, Institutions

Emigration in 21st-Century India is the first definitive exposition of contemporary Indian labour migration. The book provides a comprehensive appraisal of the policies, legislation and institutional architecture governing emigration at both federal and state levels. It posits that, geographically, emigration is now a more inclusive, pan-India phenomenon with many distinct features.

It draws critical attention to the multiple dualities in Indian emigration, showing how the artificial distinction between a universal pravasi (?expatriate? or ?migrant?) and a restricted aam pravasi (?common emigrant?) distorts emigration governance. On the basis of extensive data from the Kerala Migration Survey (KMS) and National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) Rounds, it projects the emerging profile of the emigrant from new source states as also the likely number of migrants by 2021, drawing cross-country comparisons where appropriate. The work will be invaluable to scholars of migration and diaspora studies, economics, development studies and sociology, as well as policy makers, administrators, academics, and non-governmental organisations in the field.

List of Tables. List of Figures, Maps and Boxes. List of Abbreviations. Foreword by Devesh Kapur. Acknowledgements. Introduction. 1. Dualities in Indian Emigration: The Pravasi and the Aam Pravasi2. The 21st-Century Context 3. Profile of the Emigrant from India 4. Oasis, Sandstorm and the Fertile Gulf 5. The Paradox of Good Governance 6. Legislation — The Lost Decade 7. Institutional Architecture — Central Government 8. Institutional Architecture — State Governments 9. The Future is Already Here 10. Reinforcing Individual Success 11. Embracing Reforms 12. What Got Us Here Won’t Get Us There. Appendix: Technical Note: Estimation from NSSO Surveys. Notes. Bibliography. About the Authors. Index

S. Krishna Kumar is a former member of the Indian Administrative Service and a consultant in the areas of urban governance, emigration policy/legislation and diaspora mobilisation, based in Bangalore.

S. Irudaya Rajan is Chair Professor, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs Research Unit on International Migration at the Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram.