Migration of people in our society has become a very contemporary issue nowadays. In the Indian context, though, six decades back, the issue was only related with the unexpected partition of the land and the consequent cross-border movements, because people migrated at that time from the newly created country to the original homeland, from Pakistan to India (1947 onwards) or from East Pakistan turned Bangladesh to India (1971 onwards). But, nowadays, migration has been happening all around us, and that too within same district, same sub-division, or within same locality. Migration may sometime happen due to major issues. It may also occur due to minor issues like transfer to new job location, shifting to areas facilitating better educational opportunities, comfortable life, etc. It is a very true fact that, if human beings are not settled in their own residence, then long-run development may not be possible. It is also a fact that, major number of people staying in town area of all the three districts of Barak Valley are from our surrounding village areas. It is also correct that multi-storied buildings and apartments in Silchar city are constructed majorly to meet the increased requirements of housing facility for people migrated from various villages or localities connecting Hailakandi, Sribhumi (erstwhile Karimganj) and remote areas of Cachar District. Primary and secondary statistical data have established that, people leave their village residences by selling big plots of land in exchange of comparatively quite low prices; sometimes, due to various adverse situations, they migrate even without selling their plots and houses; and they start staying in town in rented houses. So, it is the need of the hour to study and analyse the causes and find out remedies to solve such contemporary problem which is highly relevant for our locality. Because, it is understandable for all of us that, rural development may not be possible without stay and active involvement of conscious, educated, and agriculture firm related people permanently in village areas.
Dr. MANIK GUPTA (Wed,) studied this question.