Migrant Realities
The mental cost of survival for women migrant workers in T.N.
The Hindu visited Burma Nagar, in Chennai’s Manali, where migrants from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and other States live in cramped rented rooms. Conversations with women workers there, with those in other districts over the phone, as well as with activists and mental health experts, painted a picture of distress hidden behind factory lines and inside home.
The challenges of inter-State migrant workers in Tamil Nadu
While workers from the northern and eastern parts of India have become an essential part of Tamil Nadu’s labour force, all is not quite well on this front. Unequal wages, job uncertainty, social isolation, and lack of access to services continue to stand in the way. Shankari Nivethitha B. finds out what the State can do to improve their lot
Who brings home Kerala’s marine catch? Mostly migrants now, finds CMFRI
Migrant workers have surpassed locals in the state’s marine fisheries sector, accounting for nearly 60 percent of its workforce. The findings, part of a national-level research, underline how migrants have become the backbone of one of the state’s most critical economic and livelihood providers.
In Odisha’s poorest homes, migrant incomes build a new future
Workers ensure a flow of funds home to Kalahandi from Kerala, transforming lives of their families, with many aiming to save enough to build local businesses.
Employment News
Unorganised Sector: No of Firms Rises, Jobs Dip, Signal Self employment Shift
Between January–March and April–June, the number of enterprises rose from 78.5 million to 79.4 million and employment fell from 131.3 million to 128.6 million, the first Quarterly Bulletin of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises has said
Over 16,000 youths secure jobs in Rozgar Mahakumbh
Lucknow: The UP govt's three-day-long Rozgar Mahakumbh 2025 concluded on Thursday with jobs for over 16,000 youths, including 1,645 in the overseas category.
In the Courts
After Supreme Court's Warning, West Bengal SSC Undertakes To Bar Tainted Candidates From Fresh Exams For Teacher Selection
After a stern warning by the Supreme Court, the West Bengal School Service Commission gave an undertaking that no candidate, who has been specifically found to be tainted by the Court's earlier judgment in relation to the 'cash-for-jobs' scam in the 2016 recruitment, will be allowed to appear in the fresh recruitment exams scheduled to take place in September.
'Men-Only' Reservation In Air Force Flying Posts Unjustified; Eligible Women Must Be Appointed: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has directed the Central Government to appoint a woman candidate on the post of Air Force Pilot, observing that we are no longer in the times in which discrimination could be made between male and female candidates for entering into the Armed Forces.
Supreme Court: Past Misconduct Can Add Weight To Dismissal, Even If Not Mentioned In Show Cause Notice
The Supreme Court has clarified that an employee’s past record of misconduct may be taken into account to reinforce a disciplinary authority’s decision to dismiss, even if such misconduct is not specifically mentioned in the show cause notice. A bench comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi set aside the Punjab & Haryana High Court’s order that had reinstated an ex-constable of the Punjab Armed Forces, ruling that the High Court erred in holding that reliance on past indiscipline amounted to a violation of the principles of natural justice.
Farm News
Police lathi-charge farmers waiting for fertiliser in Rewa as shortage worsens in MP
The fertilizer shortage problem in Madhya Pradesh continues to worsen with police resorting to lathi-charge on protesting farmers who had been waiting in line for hours through the night in Rewa district, prompting Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to issue directions to district Collectors to deal with the situation.
MGNREGA work demand falls 26 pc with spike in Kharif sowing.
Demand for work under the flagship Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) dropped by 26 per cent in August 2025 as compared to the corresponding month of last year.
August marked the second straight month when the demand for the scheme saw a contraction. Some experts said the drop in demand is mainly due to a spike in sowing of kharif crops across India as farmers scrambled to make the best use of the copious August and labourers got absorbed in the fields.
Benefits for Workers
Railways staff to get insurance benefits of up to Rs 1 crore in case of accidental death
Air accident insurance (death) cover of Rs 1.60 crore, in addition to cover of up to Rs 1 crore through a specific debit card, and insurance benefits of up to Rs 1 crore in case of accidental death! Yes! Employees of Indian Railways can look forward to increased benefits now with Indian Railways having entered into an agreement with the State Bank of India. All employees with a salary account in in the bank, which is about 7 lakh employees, will be entitled to a natural death insurance coverage of Rs 10 lakh, and that too without any premium or medical test requirement.
Social security net widens: Govt plans cover for gig, platform workers under e-Shram, Ayushman Bharat
In the Union Budget 2025-26, the government announced a plan to extend Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) benefits to platform workers. Once rolled out, gig workers will be entitled to annual health insurance cover of ₹5 lakh per family at empanelled public and private hospitals across the country.
Women in the Workforce
Gurugram residents are on a desperate search for ‘Hindu maids’
After a police crackdown sent Bengali-speaking workers fleeing, Gurugram residents now want only vetted, local Hindu domestic staff. Rates are up and the power dynamic has flipped.
‘Dalit devadasis lowest on social ladder’— Karnataka tackles twin stigma of caste, sex work
Despite being banned, the devadasi system still traps tens of thousands of Dalit women in Karnataka. A new survey and state law target both caste oppression and sex work stigma. The State Human Rights Commission has asked the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government to finish a survey of Devadasis and submit recommendations by 23 October. The last survey in 2007-08 counted 46,660 women across Karnataka.
The Gig Economy
Women gig workers demand implementation of new legislation
Demanding immediate implementation of the recently passed Karnataka Platform-based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025, hundreds of women gig workers of Urban Company held a gate meeting at the company’s Karnataka headquarters here on Thursday. The women workers, who sought urgent redressal of the alleged exploitative practices, have been raising concerns over arbitrary ID blocking, unfair rating systems, forced product purchases, job allocations in far-off areas without compensation, and lack of grievance redressal against harassment and abuse from customers.
Algorithmic Domination in the Gig Economy
Abstract-- Digital platforms and application software have changed how people work in a range of industries. Empirical studies of the gig economy have raised concerns about new systems of algorithmic management exercised over workers and how these alter the structural conditions of their work. Drawing on the republican literature, we offer a theoretical account of algorithmic domination and a framework for understanding how it can be applied to ride hail and food delivery services in the on-demand economy. We argue that certain algorithms can facilitate new relationships of domination by sustaining a socio-technical system in which the owners and managers of a company dominate workers. This analysis has implications for the growing use of algorithms throughout the gig economy and broader labor market.
Livelihoods
Protect livelihoods, govt with you, Nirmala tells exporters
Amid worries over the impact of 50 per cent US tariffs, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday assured exporters that the govt will extend "comprehensive support" and urged them to protect livelihoods amid global headwinds.
The gender angle to India’s economic vulnerabilities
The imposition of U.S. tariffs that threatens to impact millions of Indian women in labour-intensive sectors is a wake-up call — women need empowerment as economic agents. Targeting $40 billion in trade, these tariffs could shave off nearly 1% from India’s GDP, striking labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, gems, and leather and footwear which are critical industries that disproportionately employ women.
Kashmir Crafts Face Blow As US Tariffs Upend Trade, Put Christmas Orders On Hold
Kashmiri artisans and businessmen face a roadblock after US President Donald Trump imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian products...For Majid Ahmad Mir, an artisan weaving Kani shawls in Srinagar, his maiden opportunity to send handmade crafts to the United States has been shattered by the US tariffs...After a year of paperwork and negotiations, Mir received a nod from the US-based importer for his products, including the fine pashmina wool mufflers and stoles. "The company has put the order on hold after the tariff announcement," says Mir, who inherited the craft from his forefathers in Srinagar.
Layoffs and Hirings
MPL to cut 60% of workforce after real-money gaming ban
Mobile Premier League (MPL), one of India’s largest online gaming platforms, is set to lay off nearly 60 per cent of its local workforce, affecting around 300 employees. The decision comes in the wake of the Indian government’s ban on all real-money online games under the newly-enacted Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025.
Ecommerce companies go big on gig hiring for festive play
E-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart are driving a three-year high in seasonal hiring this festive season, creating half a million jobs. Flipkart has doubled its job openings compared to last year, while Amazon India is increasing its gig workforce by 35-40%. Both companies are prioritizing inclusivity by hiring more women and differently-abled workers to meet the anticipated surge in demand.
Meesho creates 12 lakh seasonal jobs ahead of festive rush
E-commerce platform, Meesho has announced the creation of nearly 12 lakh seasonal jobs in preparation for the upcoming festive season. A majority of these opportunities—around 70 per cent—are based in tier-3 and tier-4 regions, strengthening employment prospects in smaller towns and cities. The overall number marks a sharp 40 per cent rise from last year’s festive season hiring.
Labour Laws
Streamlining labour laws: Ministry forms panel to hold talks with states
In a bid to nudge states to take further the labour reforms by aligning their existing laws with the provisions of the four new codes, the labour ministry has constituted an internal committee last month to undertake consultations, sources told Business Standard. The committee will have representatives from both the Centre and the states and is expected to come up with suggestions for amendments in the existing labour laws so that they align with the ‘spirit and provisions’ of the new labour codes.
Pending Wages
‘Didn’t get salaries for 4 months’: An ordeal in Cameroon for Jharkhand workers
19 workers who went to Cameroon in 2023 said they faced major difficulties after they weren’t paid for 4 months. 17 have been brought back while 2 remain there as they get their travel papers in order. However, before they were brought back, many of the workers got their pending salary, officials said.
No salary for 1.5K sanitation workers in Delhi schools for 5 months
Nearly 1,500 sanitation workers deployed in around 250 schools have been working without receiving a single rupee in salaries for the past five months. The issue has been formally raised with the directorate of education by senior lawyer Ashok Agarwal, who has urged immediate intervention.
Boosting Manufacturing
US manufacturing contracts for sixth straight month amid tariff drag
WASHINGTON--U.S. manufacturing contracted for a sixth straight month in August as factories dealt with the fallout from the Trump administration's import tariffs, with some manufacturers describing the current business environment as "much worse than the Great Recession." The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) survey on Tuesday also showed some manufacturers complaining that the sweeping import duties were making it difficult to manufacture goods in the United States.