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India is the world’s second-most populous country and has a labor force of over 500 million people[1]. The country has made significant progress in recent years in terms of economic growth, but the quality of work and working conditions remain a major challenge. This article will provide a critical analysis of India’s current status in terms of decent work conditions, using facts and figures from various sources.

What is Decent Work?

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), decent work means opportunities for everyone to get work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace, and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development, and social integration[3]. Achieving decent work is a key component of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 8, which aims to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all[3].

India’s Current Status

India has made significant progress in reducing poverty and increasing economic growth in recent years. However, the country still faces significant challenges in terms of decent work conditions. Some of the key issues are:

– Informal Employment: According to a recent study, over 90% of India’s workforce is employed in the informal sector[6]. Informal employment is characterized by low wages, poor working conditions, and limited social protections. This makes it difficult for workers to earn a decent income and access basic services such as healthcare and education.

– Gender Inequality: Women in India face significant challenges in accessing decent work. Almost a third of women’s employment globally is in agriculture, including forestry and fishing, but this may exclude self-employed and unpaid family workers[5]. Women also participate in low-skilled and precarious jobs characterized by low wages, poor working conditions, limited labor and social protections, and exposure to physical and sexual violence[5].

– Child Labor: India has one of the highest rates of child labor in the world. According to the ILO, there are an estimated 10.1 million child laborers in India[1]. Child labor is often associated with hazardous working conditions, low wages, and limited access to education.

– Working Conditions: Many workers in India face poor working conditions, including long working hours, low wages, and limited access to social protections such as healthcare and pensions. Workers in the informal sector are particularly vulnerable to poor working conditions.

Government Initiatives

The Indian government has taken several initiatives to promote decent work conditions in the country. Some of the key initiatives are:

– Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY): This scheme was launched in 2016 to incentivize employers to create new jobs by reimbursing the employer’s contribution to the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) and Employee State Insurance (ESI) for new employees[1].

– Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA): This scheme provides a legal guarantee for 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work[1].

Skill India Mission: This initiative aims to provide skill training to over 400 million people by 2022 to improve their employability and promote entrepreneurship[1].

Conclusion

India has made significant progress in reducing poverty and increasing economic growth in recent years. However, the country still faces significant challenges in terms of decent work conditions. Informal employment, gender inequality, child labor, and poor working conditions are some of the key issues that need to be addressed. The Indian government has taken several initiatives to promote decent work conditions in the country, but more needs to be done to ensure that all workers have access to decent work. Achieving decent work conditions is a key component of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and India needs to work towards achieving this goal to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Citations:
[1] [PDF] india – decent work country programme 2018-2022 – ILO https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—sro-new_delhi/documents/publication/wcms_650119.pdf
[2] Statistics and databases – ILO https://www.ilo.org/global/statistics-and-databases/lang–en/index.htm
[3] Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all – the United Nations https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/economic-growth/
[4] The associations of decent work with wellbeing and career capabilities: a meta-analysis – PMC – NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10134860/
[5] Facts and Figures: Economic Empowerment | UN Women – Headquarters https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/economic-empowerment/facts-and-figures
[6] [PDF] Changing Employment Conditions of the Indian Workforce and Implications for Decent Work – Scholarly journal publisher https://mulpress.mcmaster.ca/globallabour/article/view/1113/1169