Karnataka State is located in Southwestern Part of India. Originally known as the State of Mysore, it was renamed Karnataka on the first of November 1973. It covers an area of 191.976 sq.Kms of the total geographical area of India. It is situated in the western part of the Deccan peninsula of the Indian union. Karnataka state is located within 11°30'North and 18° 30'North latitudes and 74° East and 78° 30' East longitudes. The state is bounded by the Maharashtra state in the North, Goa, and Arabian Sea on the West. It has common boundaries with Andhra Pradesh on the East, with the Tamil Nadu and Kerala on the South. The state consists of 31 districts and 240 taluks (Figure 1).

Rural-to-urban migration is an inherently spatial phenomenon, so the field of human geography can help to reveal and analyze the causes and consequences of this change. Migration In Karnataka, vulnerabilities are shaped by climatic and non-climatic factors across the rural-urban continuum. Migration is a key coping strategy, yet the migration of the rural working classes to the cities often results in the replication of the vulnerabilities experienced in rural areas. On the other hand, the outcomes of daily commuting (rather than permanent migration) may help to improve household-level well-being. In rural areas, environmental hazards like droughts, erratic rainfall, extended dry spells, and depleting groundwater directly impact the livelihoods based on natural resources. Climatic impacts manifested through localized flooding, elevated temperatures and water availability affect the urban poor more subtly than the rural poor, as they intersect with multiple dimensions of urban poverty and informality. This is evident in the case of Bangalore’s informal settlement dwellers. Socio-economic Marginalisation along the lines of caste and class are key determinants of structural vulnerability in urban and rural areas (Figure 2).

The first group of high net in migrants of more than 25% was found in Bangalore, Chitradurga, Shimoga in 1991, but 2011 only Bangalore urban district occupied in this group, whereas the fourth group of high net out-migrants of more than -25% recorded in Bidar, Bijapur, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Kolar, Mandya and Tumkur in 1991. In 2011, Bangalore rural and Kodagu districts are added to this group. The remaining districts are found in both low net in-migrant group from 0.01 to 25% and low net out-migrants group from -25% to 0%. State has witnessed 24.74% of male and 25.26% of female in-migrants as well as out-migrants.

Rural based, and agriculture is the primary occupation. Due to uncertainty of monsoon, seasonal variation, agriculture sector is more vulnerable, and rural population including farmers, socially backward, rural women are under distress. As a key suggestion to overcome from these distresses, looking for alternative employment in the same locality or moving from one place to another. Thus, the movement from one place to another is become quite common due to rapid improvement in transportation and urbanization. Therefore, migration as a process helping the rural poor people to move from distress locality to a place of opportunities and help in improving their opportunities and freedom to lead decent life. Indicators of migration include- a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, a decent standard of living, life expectancy at birth, educational degree attainment, school enrollment, median earnings. Hence, migration is directly increasing the human development of the migrants and expanding the capabilities of the individuals (Figure 3).

The Percentage of net migration to gross migrants from rural to rural has been classified into four ranges. Karnataka has experienced 9 districts and 12 districts gain in % of net migrants to gross migrants in 1991 and 2011 respectively. In the first range 25% and above, 4 districts (Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Chikmagalore and Shimoga) are found in 1991, whereas the fourth range of -25% and above recorded only one district of Dakshina Kannada both in 1991 and 2011. Second range from 0.01 to 25% shows 5 districts in 1991 and 10 districts in 2011. Third range from -25 to 0% indicate in 1991, 9 districts and in 2011, 7 districts. Karnataka has recorded 14.98% of male and 35.02% of female in case of both in and out migrants to the total gross migrants of 2510394 persons in 2011. The volume of male migrants decreased, while female migrants increased from 1991-2011. According to gross migration the largest number of rural to urban in both 1991 and 2011 were recorded in Bangalore districts, while Bidar districts shows the lowest gross migrants from rural to urban. During 1991 to 2011, the gross migrants have shown absolute increase district except Uttar Kannada districts (Table 1, Table 2 & Figure 4, Figure 5).

Reasons for migration are many and varied. The 1991 census, for the first-time data pertaining to reasons for migration. The data on reasons for migration, by migration stream and type of migration, are presented in 1991, the reasons for migration was categorized into five groups viz., employment, education, family moved, marriage and others. The scope of data was further increased in census as data were separated into more classification of business and natural calamities. In 2011, family moved, and natural calamities reasons are modified by census and the new name is moved after birth and moved with household. Reason for migration data is based on the concept of place of last residence and it useful to understand the motivational factors behind movement of people (Table 3, Table 4 & Figure 6, Figure 7).

In 2011, male in migrants were about 34.36 percent white females of the total population born at places other than the place of their enumeration. There is wide sex variation in census of migration. Little less than two third (63.22) of female changed their last residences due to marriage. Normally girls must go to the place of their last husband to reside after marriage in this part of the country. Male migrants who moved due to marriage are only 2.37% of total male migrants. About 11.16 percent of the female movement has been the shift of entire family contrary to this, lure of employment, business, education, family moved and others.

Employment and other reasons have been major cause of movement among male migrants. Little less than one third or 28.13% and 32.26% of the total male migrants moved in connection with employment and other reasons respectively. Even the proportion of male migrants moving in search of business, education, moved family was 2.31%, 4.40%, 16.06% and 14.47% of total male migrants respectively. It may be observed that employment among males and marriage among females were the main reasons for migration. The proportion of male migrants related to employment reasons declined in 1991. While the volume of female migration due 2011. Female migration for educational purposes has been comparatively low. Only 0.87% of female migrants moved for getting education in 2011. About 4.40% of male migrants recorded education as cause of migration. Their proportion decreased from 1991 to 2011. Proportion of migrants moved due to other reasons is declining from migration.