Role Of Social Networks In Facilitating Rural-Urban Migration: Evidence From Maharashtra, Delhi, And West Bengal

Abstract

This study investigates the role of social networks in facilitating rural-urban migration in India, focusing on three high in-migration states: Maharashtra, Delhi, and West Bengal. While migration is often framed in economic terms, this paper emphasizes the social infrastructure that supports migrant mobility, adaptation, and success using data from 1,200 rural-origin migrants. The findings reveal that social networks significantly reduce entry barriers in urban spaces, especially in Maharashtra, where over half the respondents relied on them for initial settlement. Logistic models demonstrate that more permanent migration types correlate positively with housing ownership and negatively with return intentions. The influence of social ties also extends to job access and spatial clustering, reinforcing community cohesion and reducing migration-related vulnerabilities. By linking empirical results with established migration theories, the paper calls for policy interventions that formally recognize and support social networks as essential mechanisms of urban integration.