Migrant Labor

There are so many inter-state migrant workers in India and there are migrants from outside India too specially from Nepal. The major reasons to migrate are: Less daily wages, poverty, indebtedness and joblessness in their origin states.

Workers migrate from East Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Orissa and from north Eastern states of India. There basic occupation is agriculture and when they migrate to cities from home town, they receive more wages.

Now as per the policy “Inter-state migrant workmen” act ,1979, the migrant worker get protection. They get equal and better wages for the similar duration and nature of work. They are entitled for suitable residential accommodation and free medical facilities. Also, in case of any discrimination they have right to complain and get justice in labor court.

But in my views this policy is only for organized sector and that also not into force strictly. May be to some extent the act is followed in Government and semi-government organizations but what about private organized sector? Migrant labors are illtreated and are not paid properly. Some of the Private organizations give less wages and force them to sign on the record where proper wages are promised as per act. Since these illiterate labors are not aware of their rights so they quietly sign there and get exploited. CPF (contributed Provident Fund) is mandatory for the organization having more than five employees, but many of them are not getting this contribution from employer.

These are the things which I think need to be checked but what about the non-organized sector?  I think there are far a greater number of labors in non-organized sector than organized sector.

For instance, if we talk about masons, carpenters and their helpers-there number in non-organized sector is much higher. They work under small private contractors and never get registered by them. They don’t get any kind of security in terms of finance and health. They work for a greater number of hours and don’t get paid properly. So, in a hope of getting more money they keep themselves moving here and there. Its difficult to have records of these kind of laborers.

Even female manual workers working in construction work don’t get dues of their work properly. They are exploited. They come to work with their children at back as no body at their shelters to look after them. So, there should be some strict rule for them that they are not allowed with children and crèche facilities should be provided by the employers.

So, I think these migrant labors should be made aware for mostly about their rights so that they can ask for that wherever they go. At the same time the non-organized sector has to understand that these laborers are the pillars of development and growth.

So I think reforms needed for these migrant laborers not only for inter-state migrants but also of neighboring counties. At the end I would conclude by a quote, ‘’without labor nothing prospers’’. So all rights of the laborers should be implemented and protected.