Thought for the day
”Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who
want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm. But the harm does not
interest them. "
-
T. S. Elliot (American 1888-1965)
Word for the day
Plaudit (n)
Enthusiastic approval; an expression of praise.
(Source:
Dictionary.com)
Teaser for the day
Congress J&K leaders seeks Hindu CM for the state.
Congress CM declare PM untouchable by refusing to share
dais with him.
Is this the Antony formula for resurrection of Congress
Party?
Problem of plenty - II
As per NSSO report[1]
on the status of employment in India, "he population in the age group
15-59 years, which is considered to be economically active, comprised about 60
per cent of males and 61 per cent of females in rural areas and about 66 per cent
each of males and females in urban areas."
However, only about 40 per cent of population participated in
the labor force, meaning offered themselves for work. Participation was
significantly lower for females than for males in both rural and urban areas.
A large majority (52%) of the workers are engaged in
self-employment. Moreover, about one third of workers were under casual labour
category. Only 18% were found to be regular salary/wage earners. The share of casual
labour in the total workforce of rural areas was about 35 per cent as
against the corresponding share of 15 per cent in the urban areas.
This in my view is an alarming situation. Most of the self
employed people are either underemployed or employed in disguise, both in urban
and rural area. A stroll across the street or any market area would show you a
large number of youth pretending to engage in petty jobs as laborer and hawker
etc., who work and earn much lower than potential.
All those who vehemently opposed the FDI in multibrand retail
trade in the Parliament, need to go an ask a person who runs a 24*7 daily
neighborhood Khomcha, how much he earns after working 17-18hrs a day.
My enquiries suggests it is much lower than what a counter boy
at Big Bazaar earns, in a 10hr shift, in a dignified, secure, and air
conditioned environment with no investment risk and without any botheration
about the municipal raids.
I have met many fruit and vegetable hawkers in past couple of
years in connection with my NGO work. More than one quarter of them cannot
afford to send their kids to even government schools who do not charge any fee.
Moreover, overall 49% of all participating workers were engaged
in agriculture activities. For female workers the ratio was substantially
higher at 63%. A large majority of these workers are self employed with no
financial or social security. These are also unemployed or underemployed for a
large part of the year.
To harness the potential of Indian youth demographics, it is
therefore essential that an integrated approach is adopted to increase
employability, employment and productivity level.
Political bickering or prejudices notwithstanding, a serious
relook is needed on issues like land reforms, labor mobility, labor laws, skill
development, gender equality, integrated rural development, cottage industry,
MSME sector, technology innovation and business facilitation.
The new government has made many positive statements in this
regard. I hope to implementation of these ideas in next few years.
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