Migrant Workers from Murshidabad and the Construction Sector: A Study of the Predominance of Masonry Occupation

Abul Hasnat; Shiv Chandra Jha; Kajal Dey

Migrant Workers from Murshidabad and the Construction Sector: A Study of the Predominance of Masonry Occupation

Author(s)	Mr. Abul Hasnat, Dr. Shiv Chandra Jha, Dr. Kajal Dey
Country	India
Abstract	Labour migration has become an important livelihood strategy among rural households in economically less developed regions of India. Murshidabad district of West Bengal represents an important case of labour out-migration, where limited non-farm employment, low agricultural wages, landlessness, underemployment, recurrent environmental stresses and inadequate industrial development have encouraged male workers to seek employment outside the district. Among the different occupations undertaken by migrants, construction work has emerged as one of the most important destinations, with masonry occupying a particularly significant position. This paper examines the growing predominance of masonry among migrant workers from Murshidabad and explores the socio-economic, skill-related, institutional and destination-specific factors responsible for this occupational concentration. The study is based on secondary sources, including Census publications, Periodic Labour Force Survey reports, academic studies and existing research on migration from Murshidabad and West Bengal. The analysis suggests that masonry is not simply an unskilled occupation but represents an accessible semi-skilled trade through which migrants can progressively improve their earning capacity and occupational status. Existing evidence on Bengali migrant construction workers in Kerala, for example, identifies masonry as a major occupation and demonstrates substantially higher earning opportunities than those available in many areas of origin. Social networks, previous work experience, contractor-mediated recruitment, skill transfer, and the continuous demand for construction labour at destination locations reinforce this occupational specialization. The paper argues that the predominance of masonry reflects an interaction between structural distress at origin and labour-market opportunities at destination. Formal skill certification, social security, occupational safety and migrant-support mechanisms could improve the long-term livelihood outcomes of these workers.
Keywords	Labour migration, migrant workers, construction sector, masonry, occupational mobility.
Field	Arts
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 6, November-December 2026
Published On	2026-11-10

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Migrant Workers from Murshidabad and the Construction Sector: A Study of the Predominance of Masonry Occupation

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