Working Conditions of Migrant Workers
Migrant workers in Ludhiana work 11-12 hours a day in factories, often without breaks when demand is high.
Their free time is mostly spent on cooking and commuting, leaving little time for rest or personal activities.
Workers in informal sectors are largely ignored in debates about working hours, as most of India’s workforce is in this category.
India’s Informal Labor Market
Only 21.7% of Indian workers hold regular salaried jobs as per Periodic Labour Force Survey, while the rest are casual or self-employed workers.
Many regular workers in India face informal conditions: no contracts, no paid leave, and no social security benefits.
The shift from organized to unorganized sectors has led to poor working conditions for the majority of Indian workers.
India's Dependence on Cheap Labor
Indian industry competes globally using cheap labor rather than innovation or technology.
This reliance on long hours and low wages keeps industries from advancing and improving productivity.
In developed countries, industries focus on efficiency through technology, while India still depends on low-cost, long-hour workers.
Indian capitalists prefer cheap labor, and the shift to smaller, unregulated firms has worsened conditions.
Consequences for Growth and Innovation
The garment industry, despite India’s large labor force, has stagnated with only a 3.1% share of global exports.
The lack of modernization and capital investment limits growth in industries like garments and IT.
Low wages and long hours reduce workers' purchasing power, weakening the domestic market and stalling industry growth.
Without technological and managerial improvements, India’s industries are trapped in a cycle of low wages and stagnant progress.
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