Regularisation of Conservancy Workers: A Fight Against Contractualisation and the Caste-Profession Nexus
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Indian Polity and Governance (Social Justice, Vulnerable Sections - SCs); Indian Economy (Types of Employment - Formal/Informal, Contractualisation).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 1 (Society): Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India; Social empowerment; Caste system.
General Studies Paper 2 (Social Justice & Governance): Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population; Mechanisms, laws, and institutions for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections; Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services.
Key Highlights from the News
Detailed Explanation: Key Concepts
Contractualisation of Labour:
This is a practice where workers are hired on a contract basis for a specific period, instead of being appointed as permanent employees.
Problems: Lack of job security, often denied minimum wages and social security benefits (PF, ESI), reduced bargaining power, and easy termination.
Regularisation of Labour:
This is the process of making temporary or contract workers permanent employees.
Benefits: Job security, regular salary, social security benefits, leave, and protection under labor laws.
Caste-Profession Nexus:
This is a deeply rooted social problem in India.
Historically, certain castes, especially Dalit communities, have been linked to "impure" jobs like cleaning and manual scavenging. This leads to social isolation and an inability to switch to other professions.
Direct Payment System:
This is a system where the main employer, like a municipality, directly pays the workers' salaries into their bank accounts, eliminating the contractor as an intermediary. This can help reduce exploitation by intermediaries to some extent.
Social Justice:
This is the fair distribution of wealth, opportunities, and benefits within a society.
The demand for regularisation of conservancy workers' employment is a struggle for social justice for a historically exploited group.
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