CHAPTER 13: UNORGANISED SECTOR AND MIGRANT LABOUR
13.0 INTRODUCTION
Picture a typical day in Punjab. The sun rises, and while
government officers head to their offices (Organised Sector), another Punjab
wakes up—the vegetable vendor setting up his cart, the tailor in a small shop
stitching clothes, the mason heading to a construction site, and the farm
labourer in the fields. This is the world of the Unorganised Sector—the
vast, often invisible engine of our economy.
A special and vulnerable part of this sector is the Migrant
Labourer—the worker who leaves his village in search of work, often facing
uncertainty and hardship. As future teachers, you will have children of both
organised sector workers (like a bank employee's child) and unorganised/migrant
workers (like a construction worker's child) in your classroom. Understanding
their parents' world is crucial to understanding the child's reality,
challenges, and strengths.
13.1 ORGANISED SECTOR: THE FORMAL WORLD OF WORK
Meaning: The Organised Sector refers to all
enterprises and workplaces that are registered with the government (like
under the Factories Act, Shops and Establishments Act, etc.) and follow its
rules and regulations. These jobs come with clear terms, regular salaries, and
legal protections.
Key Characteristics:
- Formal
Registration: The business/office is officially recognized by the
government (e.g., has a GST number, registered company).
- Structured
Work: Fixed working hours (like 9 AM to 5 PM), a defined
workplace, and clear job descriptions.
- Job
Security & Benefits: Employees get a regular salary,
Provident Fund (PF), pension, gratuity, medical benefits, and paid leaves.
They cannot be fired without due process.
- Government
Oversight: The government monitors and regulates these sectors
for minimum wages, safety standards, and working conditions.
- Taxation: These
entities pay direct taxes to the government (like Income Tax, Corporate
Tax).
Daily Life Examples from Punjab:
- A
teacher or principal in a government school.
- A
clerk or officer in a Punjab National Bank branch.
- A
nurse or doctor in a government hospital.
- An
engineer working for the Punjab State Electricity Board.
- A
railway station master at Ludhiana Junction.
Why is it Important?
It provides stable livelihoods, contributes significantly to government
revenue, and sets standards for secure employment. However, it employs only a
small fraction of India's total workforce.
13.2 UNORGANISED SECTOR: THE INFORMAL, YET MIGHTY,
MAJORITY
Meaning: The Unorganised Sector includes all
small, scattered units and workers not registered with the
government. Work here is often irregular, without formal contracts, and lacking
social security benefits. This sector is the backbone of the Indian
economy, employing over 90% of our workforce.
Key Characteristics:
- No
Formal Registration: The worker or the small entrepreneur is not
on any official government list as an employer/employee.
- Irregular
& Insecure Work: No fixed timings or job security. Work is
often daily-wage or piece-rate (paid per task completed).
- Low
& Irregular Income: Wages are usually low, paid in cash, and
not guaranteed. There is no concept of paid sick leave or annual leave.
- Lack
of Legal Protection: Labour laws related to minimum wage, safety,
and working conditions are rarely enforced here.
- Harsh
Conditions: Work can be physically demanding, with little to no
safety equipment (e.g., construction without helmets, farming without
gloves).
Daily Life Examples from Punjab:
- Agriculture: Small
farmers, landless agricultural labourers working in wheat and rice fields.
- Construction: Masons,
carpenters, painters, plumbers, and helpers at building sites.
- Small
Trade & Services: Street vendors (rehriwalas), roadside dhaba
owners, domestic workers (maalishwali, cook), rickshaw pullers, and small
shopkeepers without a formal license.
- Home-Based
Work: Women doing embroidery (phulkari), assembling toys, or
making papads at home for a contractor.
- Transport: Truck
drivers' helpers (khalasis), tempo drivers.
The Teacher’s Lens: A child from this sector
might come to school hungry, might be frequently absent during harvest season
to help parents, or might lack a quiet space to study at home. Understanding
this is not an excuse for low performance, but a context for extra empathy and
support.
13.3 SECURITY FOR UNORGANISED SECTOR WORKERS: GOVERNMENT
SCHEMES
Recognizing the vulnerability of unorganised workers, the
government has launched several Social Security Schemes. These are
lifelines, though awareness and access remain challenges.
Major Central Government Schemes:
- Pradhan
Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PMSYM): A pension scheme for
unorganised workers. If they contribute a small amount monthly, they get a
guaranteed ₹3000/month pension after age 60.
- Pradhan
Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY): Life insurance cover of
₹2 lakh for a nominal premium of ₹436 per year.
- Pradhan
Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY): Accidental death and
disability insurance cover of ₹2 lakh for just ₹20 per year.
- Ayushman
Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY): Provides health
insurance cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary
hospitalisation to crores of vulnerable families.
- Rashtriya
Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY): (Now subsumed under PM-JAY) Provided
health insurance to below-poverty-line families.
- Atal
Pension Yojana (APY): Guarantees a fixed pension after 60, based
on contributions made during working years.
The Role of a Teacher: You can be a crucial
link! You can help raise awareness among parents in your community about these
schemes during Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTMs) or community outreach.
13.4 MIGRANT LABOUR: THE UPROOTED WORKFORCE
Who is a Migrant Labourer? A worker who moves
from his/her native place (village or town) to another place, within
the state or to another state, in search of work. Their movement is often
seasonal or temporary.
Reasons for Migration (Push & Pull Factors):
- Push
from Home: Lack of jobs, low farm incomes, debt, family disputes,
natural disasters.
- Pull
to Destination: Promise of work in cities (construction,
factories, domestic work), higher wages.
The Harsh Reality & Challenges:
- Uncertain
Livelihood: No job guarantee. They are often the first to be laid
off in a crisis (as seen during COVID-19 lockdowns).
- Exploitation: Middlemen
(thekedars) take a cut of their wages. They are often paid less than the
promised amount.
- Housing
& Hygiene: Live in makeshift slums (jhuggis) near
construction sites, with no proper water, sanitation, or electricity.
- Health
Hazards: Work in risky conditions without safety gear, with no
access to affordable healthcare.
- Social
Exclusion: Treated as "outsiders," they cannot access
the Public Distribution System (ration shop) or vote in the city. Their
children often cannot get admission in local schools due to lack of
documents.
- Emotional
Distress: Live away from families, face loneliness, and anxiety
about the well-being of those back home.
Punjab’s Context: Punjab sees two kinds of
migrants:
- Incoming
Migrants: Labourers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha who
work in Punjab's agriculture (especially during paddy transplantation and
harvesting) and construction.
- Outgoing
Migrants: Punjabis who migrate to Canada, Australia, or Europe
for work. (This is international migration, a different but related
phenomenon).
The Teacher’s Challenge & Responsibility:
A migrant labourer's child faces discontinuity in education,
language barriers (if from another state), and social isolation. As a teacher,
you must:
- Ensure
the child is welcomed and included.
- Use
bilingual support if needed.
- Be
flexible with attendance during peak migration seasons.
- Act as
a bridge between the child’s transient world and the stable world of the
school.
CONCLUSION
India’s economy stands on two pillars: a small, secure Organised
Sector and a vast, vulnerable Unorganised Sector, within
which Migrant Labour forms a particularly mobile and
precarious part. The dignity, security, and welfare of these workers are
essential for a just society. Education is a powerful tool for breaking the
cycle of informality and vulnerability. By understanding these realities, a
teacher can become not just an educator, but a compassionate advocate and a
vital link to welfare for the children of India's invisible majority.
EXERCISE
Q1. Differentiate between the organised sector and the
unorganised sector.
Introduction:
The Indian workforce is broadly categorized into two distinct sectors based on
the nature of employment, regulatory oversight, and job security. Understanding
the difference between the Organised and Unorganised Sectors is key to
understanding economic inequality and social policy.
Differentiation:
|
Basis of Difference |
Organised Sector |
Unorganised Sector |
|
1. Definition & Registration |
Enterprises registered with the
government (e.g., under Companies Act). |
Enterprises not registered with any
government authority. Informal and scattered. |
|
2. Terms of Employment |
Formal, written contracts. Regular and fixed. |
Informal, often verbal agreements. Irregular and
uncertain. |
|
3. Job Security |
High. Employment is protected by law. |
Very low. Can be asked to leave any time without reason. |
|
4. Work Conditions & Hours |
Fixed working hours (e.g., 9-5), regulated environment. |
Irregular, long hours. Often unsafe and unhygienic
conditions. |
|
5. Income |
Fixed, regular salary. Paid via bank accounts. |
Irregular, daily or piece-rate wages. Mostly cash
payments. |
|
6. Social Security Benefits |
Mandatory benefits like PF, pension, gratuity, medical
leave, paid holidays. |
No social security benefits. No paid leave,
pension, or health insurance. |
|
7. Government Oversight |
Strictly regulated by labour laws (factories act, minimum
wage act). |
Largely outside the purview of government regulation and
protection. |
|
8. Example in Punjab |
A teacher in a KV school, a manager in a Punjab Sindh
Bank. |
A labourer in a brick kiln near Jalandhar, a vegetable
vendor in Amritsar. |
Conclusion:
The organised sector offers security but employs few. The unorganised sector,
while employing the majority, is marked by insecurity and a lack of dignity.
Bridging this gap through inclusive policies and social security is one of
India's biggest socio-economic challenges.
Q2. Prepare a survey report on the unorganised sector or
migrant employees.
(Note: This answer provides a framework and template that
a student can adapt based on a hypothetical or actual survey in their local
area.)
Title: Survey Report on the Living and Working
Conditions of Construction Migrant Labourers in [Name of Your City/Area],
Punjab.
1. Introduction & Objectives:
- Purpose: This
survey aimed to understand the socio-economic conditions, challenges, and
awareness levels of migrant construction workers in our locality.
- Rationale: The
construction sector is a major employer of migrant labour. Their
well-being directly impacts community health and social harmony.
- Objectives:
- To
document the demographic profile of migrant construction workers.
- To
assess their working conditions, wages, and job security.
- To
evaluate their access to basic amenities and government welfare schemes.
- To
understand the educational status of their children.
2. Methodology:
- Area
of Survey: Construction sites and labour colonies in [e.g.,
Southern Bypass area, Ludhiana].
- Sample
Size: 30 migrant workers (from Bihar/Uttar Pradesh).
- Tool: A
structured interview schedule with questions in simple Hindi.
- Duration: Conducted
over two weekends.
3. Key Findings & Analysis:
* Demographics: 90% were male, aged 20-45. 70% had left their
families in their native village.
* Work & Wages: All were hired via a contractor
(thekedar). Average daily wage: ₹400-500 for 10-12 hours of work. No work
during rain = no pay. No safety equipment like helmets or gloves were provided.
* Housing & Amenities: Lived in temporary tin sheds
(jhuggis) at the site. 10-15 people shared one room. Common toilet facilities
were scarce and unclean. Access to clean drinking water was a major issue.
* Health & Education: None had access to any health
insurance. Common ailments: back pain, respiratory issues. Only 20% of their
school-age children living with them were enrolled in a local school due to
documentation hurdles.
* Awareness of Schemes: 95% had heard of PM-JAY (Ayushman
Bharat) but none knew how to claim benefits. Awareness of
pension schemes (PMSYM) was almost zero.
4. Major Challenges Identified:
1. Economic: Irregular work, delayed payments by contractors,
no savings mechanism.
2. Social: Isolation, alienation from local community, lack of
community support systems.
3. Administrative: Lack of official identity/address proof in
the city, barring access to PDS, bank accounts, and school admission.
4. Health & Safety: Hazardous work conditions, no
first-aid, malnutrition.
5. Recommendations:
1. For Local Administration: Set up mandatory registration
camps at construction sites to issue labour cards and link them to welfare
schemes.
2. For Builders/Contractors: Enforce basic safety norms and
provide hygienic living quarters as per law.
3. For Schools: Implement flexible admission norms for migrant
children, providing temporary admission based on site manager's certification.
4. For NGOs & Community: Run weekly health clinics and
adult literacy/awareness camps at sites.
5. As Teachers: We can volunteer to teach their children basic
literacy in the evenings and help with school integration.
6. Conclusion:
The survey reveals that migrant construction workers, vital to our city's
growth, live on the margins without dignity or security. Their children risk
becoming a lost generation. Targeted interventions focusing on registration,
awareness, and inclusive services are urgently needed. As responsible citizens
and future teachers, we have a role to play in advocating for and enabling
these interventions.
