An Analysis of Weavers' Migration to the GCC Countries: A Case Study of Mau District in Uttar Pradesh
Main Article Content
Abstract
Weaving is an important part of the socio-economic growth of every country. It is one of the primary sources of income, especially in rural areas. Due to various pull and push factors, the weavers started to migrate to the Gulf countries. In the economic reform period, numerous new generations of weavers have seen upward migration trends to Gulf nations for employment, especially to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The big companies began manufacturing daily necessities previously made by village artisan groups. Most of them are working in unskilled or semi-skilled jobs. The study area is limited to the Mau district of Uttar Pradesh, the powerhouse of textile weavers in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Most of the study is based on primary data sources, along with the support of secondary data sources. The study shows increasing trends of young weavers' migration to the GCC countries. Sample data indicates that 62 percent of migrant weavers work unskilled in the host country. In the GCC countries, migrant weavers aged 21 to 36 account for 74% of the workforce, with more than half earning between INR 18,000 and 23,000 monthly. Only 24% of migrant weavers have finished college or higher education.