News from States
Police promise security to non-local workers in J&K
Security grid should be further strengthened to ensure zero terror incidents in order to push rapid social and economic development, says J&K Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha
What is the Z-Morh project in Kashmir, where 7 were killed by militants?
Seven people were killed in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday evening (October 20) when suspected militants targeted the workers of infrastructure company APCO Infratech, which is constructing the Z-Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Sonamarg highway. This is the first militant attack on a key infrastructure project in Jammu and Kashmir. In the past, militants have not targeted such infrastructure projects in the region.
In Haryana, 18 farmers arrested for burning stubble, over 400 barred from mandis; Saini govt faces heat
Days after the Supreme Court pulled up the governments of Haryana and Punjab for failing to prosecute farmers who burn stubble, contributing to air pollution in the Delhi National Capital Region, police in Haryana’s Kaithal district said Monday they had arrested 18 farmers in the last two days for burning crop residue. Kaithal SP Rajesh Kalia said the farmers were later released on bail.
Shortlisting of Candidates From UP, MP for Jobs in Jammu Sparks Outrage Among Locals
Srinagar: Two candidates from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have been shortlisted for the posts of ‘cluster development executive’ and ‘textile designer’ by the directorate of handlooms and handicrafts in Jammu, triggering anger in the region which is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold. The selection of candidates from UP and MP for government jobs in J&K has become possible after the reading down of Article 370 and Article 35-A. This controversy has come at a time when the Union Territory is grappling with one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.
Farm News
SKM Gears up for Next Protest on MSP, Loan Waiver in 500 Districts on Nov 26
The farmers’ collective also “vowed to expose and punish” the BJP in Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly Elections in November for neglecting their demands.
Policy Changes
Centre To Roll Out Policy For Gig Workers’ Social Security Soon
The labour ministry will bring out a module on the e-Shram portal next Monday to enable businesses and aggregators to register their workers on the platform The ministry has formed a committee to make a draft of social security benefits policy for gig workers expected to release in February next year
Women in the Workforce
'Marriage penalty': Employment rate for Indian women drops by 1/3rd
A World Bank report reveals a sharp decline in female labor force participation in India post-marriage, while men experience a job premium. The report attributes this to social norms and childcare responsibilities. Enhancing education levels for both genders can mitigate this issue. Improved female workforce inclusion could boost South Asia’s GDP significantly.
Employment News
Germany set to boost skilled labour visas for Indians to 90,000 annually
Germany is opening its doors wider for skilled Indian professionals, increasing annual visas from 20,000 to 90,000. This move aims to strengthen bilateral ties and meet Germany's growing demand for skilled labour across key sectors.
Indian workers turn to Gulf for delivery jobs with better pay
While India’s gig economy is thriving with 7.7 million workers (2020), gig workers from the country’s small towns like Karimnagar are looking for greener pastures abroad. Sameer is one among the 200 people who applied for delivery executive jobs in Dubai through Telangana Overseas Manpower Company Ltd (TOMCOM), a state government initiative, on Thursday.
Net formal job creation under EPFO up at 1.85 million in August: Payroll data
Net formal job creation under India's EPFO sees a 9.07% rise to 1.85 million in August 2024 compared to August 2023. Significant contributions came from Maharashtra and the youth demographic. Female membership surged 10.4%, reflecting increased employment opportunities and diversity.
Retirees to fill Indian Railways vacancies for 2 years
To resolve the shortage of staff, the Railway Board has decided to fill the 25,000 vacancies across zones on an urgent basis, to ensure that operations continue safely and smoothly. It has also given general managers across railway zones the authority to temporarily hire retired personnel for two years, that is, till 31 December 2026. This period may be extended based on the performance of those concerned.
T.N. to see a robust demand for gig workers this festive season, say experts
According to staffing firm TeamLease, the gig workforce across India is expected to increase by 10 lakh during the festive season, with the increase in the State expected to be around 80,000 to 1 lakh
Reports
184 Women, Two Years, One Story of Labour: Report Documents The Reality of Karnataka’s Garment Workers
Examining the Intersections of Gender, Labour and Capital in Karnataka's Apparels Export Industry
Between 2022 and 2024, Cividep India undertook a two-year-long study to understand women’s labour at production sites and in their households. The global garment supply chain, particularly the ready-made garment (RMG) industry in Karnataka (Bengaluru and Mysuru), was our focus. We followed the lives of 184 women garment workers (both intra-state and inter-state migrants), tracing their lives from their natal homes to their matrimonial households and workplaces.
Endangered Workers
Over 75% healthcare workers threatened on duty: Survey by Safdarjung, AIIMS doctors
More than half of the healthcare workforce in India feel unsafe at their workplace, while nearly three-fourth have been threatened on duty, revealed a joint nationwide survey conducted by doctors of Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS.
Over 50% of Indian healthcare workers feel their workplace is unsafe: Study
The cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,566 healthcare workers from diverse medical institutions across India. More than half of the healthcare workers who participated in a survey feel that their workplace is "unsafe", particularly in state and central government medical colleges. Led by experts from the Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC), Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS, New Delhi, the study highlighted "significant gaps" in the security infrastructure within Indian healthcare settings.
Analysis
Modi pushed more Indians into low-paying farm jobs. UPA govt industrialised economy
As economies mature, workers typically move away from low-paying agricultural jobs to higher-paying jobs in manufacturing and services. The agricultural sector shrinks as manufacturing and service industries expand. Yet, under Modi, exactly the opposite has happened.
Working Conditions
How Delhi looks at non-human hands to clear muck in sewers
Artificial intelligence-enabled machinery and robots, like Bandicoot and Homosep Atom, are being deployed in India to combat manual scavenging by automating the cleaning of sewers and septic tanks. Insufficient funding and inadequate identification of manual scavengers hinders progress.
Five workers die due to asphyxiation while cleaning tank at agrotech firm in Gujarat
The incident occurred around 1 am when the workers were cleaning the effluent treatment plant of the company, Kutch (East) Superintendent of Police Sagar Bagmar said.
Exploited Workers
Bengal: Insecurity, Exploitation Dog NHM Workers in Jangal Mahal
Despite working for nominal salaries, National Health Mission (NHM) workers—including Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), doctors, nurses, health workers, and office staff—are facing rising job security and are operating in an environment of constant fear and a ‘culture of threat’. These workers provide essential healthcare services to patients daily, yet they are reportedly unable to sustain themselves financially and physically working under harsh conditions.
Mobilising Workers
From South Korea to Chennai: Samsung’s union-busting legacy
Samsung's long history of evading accountability in South Korea faced a reckoning after two key movements arose from workers’ deaths. The first was the 2007 death of 21-year-old Samsung semiconductor worker Hwang Yu-mi. Her father, Hwang Sang-ki, led a public campaign for justice, which forced Samsung to compensate hundreds of victims.
White Collar Stress
Working at India Post means being a multitasker—Chase new accounts, sell Gangajal, flags
At India Post, there is now pressure to open accounts, meet revenue goals, and attend frequent review meetings. The addition of Payments Bank has increased responsibilities. Targets and scheme promotions weren’t characteristic of India’s post offices just about two decades ago. The postal department carried the humble image of carriers of letters and money orders.
Govt schoolteachers are drowning. Classwork, homework, more work
New Delhi: From organising Swachhta Pakhwada to carrying out Veergatha project and chasing students to open accounts, schoolteachers are spending a lot of time on non-teaching work. Jyoti Khatri has been teaching the third chapter from the Hindi textbook Veena to her students for 12 days now. Every day, various administrative tasks pull her out of the classroom. With exams approaching, she will have no option but to rush through and make up for the lost teaching time. It’s a race against syllabus that is likely to impact students too.