Abstract
This article highlights emerging patterns of domestic remittance arrangements among migrant construction workers from West Bengal in Kerala that have now become defunct because of COVID-19. Earlier field surveys and in-depth interviews showed how Bengali migrant construction workers, relying on networks of friendship and trust, were learning to remit through formal channels, in contrast with many micro-studies showing the dominant role of informal channels in domestic remittances. High wage rates in Kerala enabled such migrant construction workers to send significant amounts, used for productive activities besides household expenses. However, there were significant changes in arrangements, before COVID-19 enforced a dramatic suspension of remittances, raising important questions about future possibilities.
Highlights
According to Deshingkar (2006), in a large country like India, with considerable regional disparities, internal migration may be even more important than international worker migration, certainly in terms of the numbers of people involved, possibly even regarding remittance volumes
Studying Oriya migrant workers in Gujarat, Ghate (2005: 1740) observes that ‘in order to minimise search costs, areas sending out migrants tend to specialise in particular destinations’. Such micro-level studies highlight the importance of various remittance arrangements through informal channels
The survey sample included 300 migrant construction workers from West Bengal who had been working in Kerala for at least 6 months
Summary
REMITTANCE ARRANGEMENTS WITHIN INDIA AND COVID-19: KERALA’S MIGRANT CONSTRUCTION WORKERS FROM WEST BENGAL Md Selim Reja and Bhaswati Das. University b.t. & Evening College, Cooch Behar, India Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India abstract This article highlights emerging patterns of domestic remittance arrangements among migrant construction workers from West Bengal in Kerala that have become defunct because of COVID-19. Earlier field surveys and in-depth interviews showed how Bengali migrant construction workers, relying on networks of friendship and trust, were learning to remit through formal channels, in contrast with many micro-studies showing the dominant role of informal channels in domestic remittances. High wage rates in Kerala enabled such migrant construction workers to send significant amounts, used for productive activities besides household expenses. There were significant changes in arrangements, before COVID-19 enforced a dramatic suspension of remittances, raising important questions about future possibilities. keywords: Internal migration, Kerala, migrant construction workers, remittances, West Bengal
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