Why in the
News?
The Bombay High Court has taken Suo motu
cognisance of exploitation of intra-state migrant workforce in Maharastra (MH).
What is the background of the issue?
1. People from
Drought-affected and water-scarce regions of Marathwada region migrate to the
Sugar-belt region of the western region of Maharastra.
2. The state being
one of the top producers of Sugar, produces ~138 lakh metric tonnes Sugar with
203 crushing factories in the state.
3. The migrant
workforce forms a backbone of the Sugar industry in the state. However, the
workers have been exploited and marginalised for decades together.
4. This led the
Bombay HC to initiate Suo motu proceedings and asked the MH government
to form a committee to look into the issues involved.
What are the problems faced by the Migrant population in
Maharashtra?
1. Prolonged
unemployment among small and marginal farmers after the sowing of Rabi crops.
2. Prolonged
drought conditions, repeated crop failure accompanied by accumulating debt
poses serious challenge to their livelihood.
3. Mukadam System,
an exploitative system of recruiting migrant population in the sugarcane
industries of MH.
a. The Mukadam
(labour Contractor) enters into contract with the sugar factories to supply
labour by
receiving an advance payment.
b. The migrant
labourers are in turn dependent on the Mukadams for employment during
off-season.
c. This leads to,
·
Control of migrants by the Mukadam
·
Violation of labour laws
·
Temporary and poor wages- employment.
·
No relationship establishment between the
factory and the workers.
·
Violence and sexual harassment cases linked
to the Mukadam.
4. Neglect of the
plight of women migrants and children
a. The health and
safety of women migrants are not accounted into – women carry heavy head loads
resulting in accidents, musculoskeletal and gynaecological disorders.
b. The Right to
education of children are violated as they accompany their parents to the Sugar
factories.
What can be done?
1. Alternative
schooling models for the children.
2. A periodic and
time-bound enumerating exercise of the seasonal migrant population.
3. Strong
political will to create a favourable legal environment that strengthens the
labour administration and protect the rights of the migrants.
About:
Who is a Migrant?
According to periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), migrant
is defined as a household member whose last
usual place of residence, any time in the past, was different from the present
place of enumeration.
Reasons for internal migration in India:
1. In search of
employment/better employment proximity to place of work/ transfer due to
shift of workforce from agriculture to industry and other tertiary activities
2. Migration of
parent or earning member of the family
3. Natural
disaster (drought, flood, tsunami, etc)
4. Social or
political problems such as riots, terrorism, political refugee, bad law and
order among others.
5. Displacement
caused due to a development project.
6. Marriage
(66.7%) among females was found to be one of the main reasons for migration in
2011 census.
7. Decline in
rigidity of caste system and predominance of agriculture has increased
mobility.
Trends of
internal migration:
1. The overall
migrant population has increased by 45% comparing 2001 and 2011 census data.
2. Rural migration
is more compared to Urban migration
3. Rural
population migrate more to rural areas while urban population migrate more to
urban areas, with the former emerging as the predominant stream.
4. Migrant men are
employed as main workers while migrant women find employment as marginal
workers.
Migration
Pattern within India:
1. East to North migration
movement
2. East to West
Migration movement
3. East and west
Migration to the South
