Migration Won't Ease Until Demand-Supply Gap Is Fixed

Agricultural reforms, infrastructure investment need to take quick effect to ease migration

- Devina Sengupta

The demand-supply gap of workers across states is skewed and unless there is an immediate impact of agricultural reforms and infrastructure development, the Union budget's aim to ease migration will be a tough task, recruiters warned.

In the budget for FY26, the government said it aims to generate new businesses and employment for young, marginal and small farmers, landless families and rural women.

"The goal is to generate ample opportunities in rural areas so that migration is an option, but not a necessity," said finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her budget speech on Saturday.

But recruiters note that if the budget's focus was on scaling down the pressure on the top 30 cities, then it is the tier-II and -III cities, which should be developed to absorb the migrant workforce.