Migrant Realities
Middle East conflict stalls job hopes for Indian migrant workers
Because of the US-Israel-Iran war, thousands of recruitments from India are affected and many Indian workers are forced to postpone their departure for the Gulf region. A recruitment agent in Mumbai revealed that 100,000 to 150,000 Indians migrate every month to the Middle East. Now with a war raging in the region, many of them are forced to postpone their departure. “In a few months, more than 300,000 recruitments from India could be affected”...
‘Without money, we will die here too’: Why fear of war has failed to deter Indian workers looking to head for Middle East
NEW DELHI: Even as tensions escalate across West Asia, queues outside visa application centres for Gulf countries in Delhi show little sign of slowing, with many workers saying economic compulsions leave them little choice but to travel to the region.
Uncertainty looms as migrant workers spend nights in bunkers amid Gulf Crisis
Workers from Basti, Gorakhpur, Deoria and Maharajganj districts, many of whom are employed in construction, transport and service sectors in the Gulf countries, said the sound of fighter jets and air raid sirens echoed throughout the night, creating an atmosphere of tension and fear. Officials said a recent survey indicated that nearly 5,000 workers from Kushinagar district alone were currently employed in various Gulf countries.
Employment News
Active job vacancies on govt job portal falls to 16-month low in Feb
The number of active job vacancies posted on the National Career Service (NCS) portal of the Ministry of Labour and Employment fell to a 16-month low of 15 lakh in February, down from 23.7 lakh in January.
In contrast, the number of active employers reached a five-month high of 1.53 lakh in February, up from 71,844 in January, and was the highest since September 2025 when it was 1.6 lakh.
“There is a major difference between firms registering on the portal and firms actually posting jobs. These numbers on the NCS portal show that employers might be digitising and registering on these portals, but they are not hiring,” said Bornali Bhandari, professor at National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER).
Women in the Workforce
Telangana to welcome first ever women fire fighters under the new recruitment rules
The Telangana Fire, Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Department is set to recruit its first batch of women firefighters. Officials told The Hindu that the department is awaiting a recruitment notification from the Telangana Police Recruitment Board, which will conduct the selection process. The procedure will include a preliminary selection test, physical efficiency tests, a written exam, and verification of character and antecedents.
Feminisation Of Indian Agriculture Has Not Improved Lives Of Women Farm Workers
Indian agriculture has been feminised. The Periodic Labour Force Survey of 2024 confirmed that women now constitute over 42% of India’s agricultural workforce. Statistics confirm that the women’s work participation has risen from 24.8% in 2017 to 42% in 2023. Increasing male migration and shrinking farm returns have seen women step in to manage farms, livestock and farm households.
India’s Domestic Workers and the Limits of Women’s Empowerment
When the Supreme Court declined to intervene in pleas seeking stronger wage protections and formal recognition for domestic workers, it reinforced a troubling truth: despite being essential, domestic work in India remains insufficiently recognized as labour deserving enforceable rights and protections. One of the biggest sectors of India’s urban informal economy is domestic work. India employs more than 50 million domestic workers, most of whom are women and migrants working without formal contracts or social security benefits, according to estimates from ILO.
Wage Revision
Assam cabinet nod to hike tea garden wages by Rs 30 ahead of polls
Ahead of assembly elections, the Assam government has decided to increase the daily wages of tea garden workers by Rs 30. This will bring the wages to Rs 280 in the Brahmaputra valley and Rs 258 in the Barak valley, effective April 1.
Kerala plantation workers’ daily pay increased by ₹48
Labourers in the rubber, tea, coffee, and cardamom sectors covered. As interim relief, workers will receive a one-time payment of ₹1,000. The revised wage structure is set to take effect from April 1, with employers directed to implement the hike immediately. It has been clarified that ₹500 of this amount will be treated as a grant and will not be recovered by the management. According to trade union representatives, the struggle for a wage hike in Kerala’s plantation sector has been persistent, driven by the growing disparity between stagnant income levels and the soaring cost of living.
Kerala revises minimum wages for private hospital nurses; UNA to continue stir
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has revised the minimum wages of nurses working in private hospitals, raising the base pay from ₹25,450 to ₹30,880. The wage structure will vary according to the number of beds in the hospitals. The government issued the notification after the United Nurses’ Association (UNA) resorted to protests and announced an indefinite strike from March 9. UNA declared that nurses would not withdraw from the indefinite strike unless the government raises their monthly pay to ₹40,000.
Wages hiked for part-time sanitary workers in schools across Tamil Nadu
COIMBATORE/CHENNAI: The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department has increased wages of around 32,900 part-time sanitary workers who clean toilets in government schools across Tamil Nadu. The hike is likely to come into effect from May. However, workers and activists say the hike is long overdue and still inadequate. Under the revised pay structure, sanitary workers in primary schools will receive Rs 1,500 per month, up from Rs 1,000, while those working in middle schools will get Rs 2,300, an increase from Rs 1,500. The wage revision follows a direction from the Madras High Court, which asked authorities to consider revising the salaries of school sanitary workers in view of their workload and the rising cost of living. To implement the revision, the government sanctioned an additional Rs 24.23 crore.
Research
What Is the Size of India’s Domestic Remittance Flows?
While international remittances to India reached a reported $135 billion in 2025, domestic remittances remain undercounted. Multiple data sources place domestic remittances at Rs. 2.9–3.8 lakh crore ($36–48 billion) in 2024, underscoring their wider reach and economic significance. Domestic remittances reach many more households than international remittances: roughly 15% of Indian households receive money from within India, compared with about 1–2% receiving remittances from abroad.
News from States
The crisis of unemployment in J&K
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is grappling with an unemployment crisis. In recent years, the unemployment rate in the region has soared to alarming levels. Such an increase has forced thousands of highly-qualified youth into low-paying jobs.
Job crisis and vacant posts
That the jobs are squeezing in J&K is now an old story. The rate of our unemployment is higher than any other state in India, but our response to this in nowhere matching. The news story that we have more than 40000 posts lying vacant in various government departments, raises some pointed questions. Why these vacancies kept piling up while educated youth kept adding years to their frustration? Why there is no regular, systematic way of filling up the posts as and when vacancies are created? This issue that came up in a meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary and was attended by the concerned Administrative Secretaries; Chairperson, JKSSB; Secretary, JKPSC and other concerned representatives from different departments, deserves a very serious follow up.
Assam govt transfers Rs 3,600 crore to 40 lakh families under Orunodoi 3.0
In what the state government described as the largest single-day direct benefit transfer (DBT) rollout in Assam’s history, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Tuesday, announced the disbursal of Rs 9,000 each to 40 lakh beneficiary families under the Orunodoi Scheme 3.0. He claimed 90% eligible women are covered under Orunodoi, vows full inclusion if BJP wins elections. The consolidated amount includes Rs 5,000 covering four months of assistance under the scheme and an additional Rs 4,000 provided in view of the upcoming Bohag Bihu celebrations.
Trinamul Cha Bagan Sramik Union leaders collect tea garden workers’ complaints
The trade union of tea estate workers, which is affiliated to the Trinamool Congress, launched the exercise to redress the labourers’ grievances at the instruction of Abhishek Banerjee, the national general secretary of the party. Trinamool has started organising micro-level meetings in tea gardens to further reach out to the workers ahead of the Assembly polls. Trade union leaders said the key demands of the labourers were creche facilities for children, health centres, free school bus services and safe drinking water.
Analysis
For every Rs 100 women founders get a mere Rs 4 in startup funding: Report
BENGALURU: For every Rs 100 raised by founders from India's startup networks, only about Rs 4 goes to women, according to a new report by Kalaari Capital's CXXO initiative which argues that the funding gap reflects a structural market inefficiency rather than a shortage of women entrepreneurs.
The Gig Economy
How Snabbit, Pronto, and Urban Company are reshaping traditional maid model in India
Instant maid services are revolutionizing urban work models, offering on-demand help for household chores. These app-based platforms are empowering women with flexible work and better incomes, while providing busy professionals with convenient solutions for domestic tasks.
Maid In 10 Minutes: Can Instant House-Help Services Replace Traditional Domestic Workers In India?
A new generation of startups is offering domestic help on demand, promising cleaners, dishwashers or basic household assistance at the doorstep within minutes. But as the model gains attention, several questions remain: Is app-based house help cheaper than hiring a regular maid? Is the model sustainable in India’s labour market? And could it eventually replace the long-standing system of domestic workers employed directly by households? The long-term sustainability of instant domestic services remains an open question. Like many gig-economy platforms, these startups must balance three competing factors: fair wages for workers, affordable prices for customers and sustainable revenues for the company.
Media Workers
Govt to Provide ₹5 Lakh Insurance, Raise Pension for Working Journalists: CM
Pramod Sawant announced that working journalists in Goa will receive an insurance cover of ₹5 lakh. He also said the monthly pension will be increased from ₹10,000 to ₹15,000, and benefits under the Atal Pension Yojana will be implemented.
CM raises pensions, targets 1.25L govt jobs
Under the Rajasthan Senior Accredited Journalist Honour Scheme, pension for accredited journalists above 60 years will rise from Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000 per month, and for widows of deceased accredited journalists from Rs 7,500 to Rs 9,000.
Layoffs and Hirings
Volkswagen says to cut 50,000 jobs as profit slides
German auto giant Volkswagen will cut 50,000 jobs in Germany by 2030. This move comes as the company faces declining profits and intense competition, especially from Chinese electric vehicle makers. Volkswagen aims to save billions of euros annually. The company is adapting its business model to a changing automotive landscape. This strategic shift is crucial for its future competitiveness.