Inter State Migration Policy Index (IMPEX)

Interstate migration in developing countries is a key income generating strategy for low-income households. In India, despite the importance of migration between states, interstate migrants continue to face significant integration barriers in their destination states. The impact of state borders is significant and large on migration within India. This study presents one of the first attempts at creating a set of indicators to understand the role of state-level policies for the integration of interstate migrants in a developing country. After illustrating the process behind the creation of this tool and the tool in itself, we compare seven out the major migrant destination states of India based on their policy frameworks relevant for the integration of interstate migrants. Out of these states, we found that Kerala state is the most inclusive of interstate migrants, but overall policymakers in the considered Indian states have a long way to favour integration of interstate migrants.