India’s growth figure claimed to be one of the world fastest growing economy. Multi-sectoral growth contributing to it is becoming fastest growing economy. For example, Sevice sector, IT, and Manufacturing is leading area in this growth figure and these all creating demand of infrastructure development. We can understand the pace of infrastructure development by the fact that construction sector is the largest sector after agriculture on the basis of a number of people employed. A large size of construction workers is working day and night on minimum wages, which might be invisible but a significant contributor in the construction industry.
A large size of construction workers is working day and night on minimum wages, which might be invisible but a significant contributor in the construction industry.
As per a survey conducted by National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) in the year 2004-05, says that 94% of the total labour force comes under unorganised sector. Considering a big number of lives engaged in the informal sector, in the year 2004 Government of India formed “National Commission for Enterprises in Unorganised Sector”(NCEUS) to look into the livelihood and social security conditions for unorganised workers and also those workers who are employed in the formal sector but not availing any of social protection. It reveals that 8 % of India’s workforce only enjoys social security. A large Size, i.e., 91% of India’s workers falls in the informal sector.
It reveals that 8 % of India’s workforce only enjoys social security. A large Size, i.e., 91% of India’s workers falls in the informal sector.
Conceptualization of social security measures and legislation in India derives from the Directive Principle of the State Policy enshrined in the Constitution of India. It is the guiding principle which strengthens the public recommendation of ensuring social security measures.Socio-economic status of unorganised sectors workers is a reflection of their vulnerablity, which also make them prone to receive life shocks caused by changes in life, illness, casualties, and natural calamities. These vulnerabilities can only be reduced and minimized by enforcing policies which protect livelihood opportunity, promote well-being and provide opportunity to grow in life.
India, being a welfare state obliged to form and implement various social security and assistance benefits for its citizens. Constitution of India gives a directive to ensure conducive environment of growth for every citizen irrespective of their caste, Creed, religion.The existing social security provision for the unorganised workers include a range of central and state sponsored schemes including pension, matenity benefit, and family benefit. Main eligibility criterion for availing of the benefits is the BPL (Below Poverty Line). A large part of households have income above the BPL cut off, yet they face severe vulnerabilities. It is apparent here that social security needs of the unorganised workers are not all covered by the existing schemes and even National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) of the government of india is not catering the need of the informal sector. There are not any schemes of the central government to address the health and employment injuries contigencies of the unorganised workers.
There are not any schemes of the central government to address the health and employment injuries contigencies of the unorganised workers.
The Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008 continues to “lump” the various occupations due to weak definition. Definitions of the “ Unorganised worker” need to be revisited which has been put in the act. What also of the millions of involuntary unemployed. Sectors specific needs of the workers are too important, There is considerable heterogeneity across and within subsectors of unorganised workers. It would be, therefore a serious mistake to treat the unorganised sector as homogeneous for any purposes. Broadly the need of the unorganised sector can be classified into two categories as follows:
- Economic security: Programmes and activities connected with the provision of employment. Income and assets to termed economic security
- Social Security: Health Care, Child Care, old Age, Pensions food etc. real needs will vary from group to group and from area to area.
A lot of preconceived notions are an impediment on the way of development. Contributory basis design of social security fails due to poor affordability and lack of an institutional mechanism. Studies have shown that poor dissemination is leading to pitiable awareness among the beneficiaries and even overlapping of new schemes with the existing ones, resulting in much chaos in the implementation.
Social security can mean to increase and maintain the productivity of the worker, so as to increase the economic security. Women workers contribute a significant share of the unorganised sector; they tend to be disregarded when it comes to the provision of social security benefits. The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 and The Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare and Cess Act, 1996 which formulated in Delhi in the year 2002.
The Delhi Building and Other Construction Worker’s Welfare Board started functioning in 2005. By March 2008 the board had collected funds to the tune of Rs. 1.4 billion but registration and disbursement could not take place at desired pace. As per a study conducted by Delhi School of Social Work Society in the year, 2009 states that only 8.58% of construction workers heard about welfare board. Registration of construction workers is just 2.14% of estimated 8-10 lakh construction workers.
Some of the suggestive measures for an effective planning and implementation of social security programs can be formulated by taking the experiences of successful examples across the country, i.e., Kerala, Tamilnadu and other states who did remarkable work in organising the workers scattered across the various enterprises. And, the following measures should be take to better care and protection of labour class in this country:
- The Building and Other Construction Workers Act, 1996 must be implemented efficiently, and such an act must cover other workers.
- The central and state government should act actively in the efficient implementation of the program across the country. Efforts should be to bring others unorganised workers into the social security net.
- Participation of Employers, Workers and Government representative must be ensured in Welfare board. Welfare board must be acting independently. The cogent environment should be created.
- Construction sites can be instructed compulsory registration of workers at the sites.
- The intensive drive of awareness must be initiated regarding act and their provisions.
- The act is seriously lagging in issues and concerns of working conditions of women unorganised sector workers.
Author: Rohit Bharti is a research fellow at Delhi School of Social Work, University of Delhi.
