INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCE RESEARCH
IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Bundelkhand, a semi-arid plateau region spanning parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, has long suffered from chronic agrarian distress, recurrent drought, and ecological degradation. These factors have collectively driven large-scale distress migration — an involuntary movement of rural households seeking survival outside their native villages. This paper investigates the magnitude, causes, and demographic consequences of distress migration in Bundelkhand. Drawing on secondary data from Census of India (2001, 2011), NSSO reports, and published regional studies, the research analyses shifts in sex ratio, age structure, occupational composition, and village depopulation trends. Findings reveal that distress migration has severely feminised the rural population, accelerated ageing in sending villages, disrupted agricultural labour availability, and eroded traditional social structures. The paper also examines the role of MGNREGA and other policy interventions in mitigating distress, while highlighting structural gaps that perpetuate out-migration. The study contributes to broader discussions on climate-induced migration, rural demographic decline, and sustainable development in vulnerable dryland regions of India.