Agricultural Labour

Booklet No. 501 Agriculture and Social Justice: ASJS - 2

Contents Preface I. Introduction II. Meaning and Definition of Agricultural Labour III. Characteristics of Agricultural Labour IV. Categories of Agricultural Labourers V. Present Position of Agricultural Labour in India VI. Causes of Poor Economic Conditions of Agricultural Labourers VII. Government Measures Pertaining to Agricultural Labour VIII. Suggestions for Im rovement Pre ace !he most dis"uieting feature of Indian rural econom# has been the gro$th in the number of agricultural labourers engaged in cro roduction. !he# get unusuall# lo$ $ages% conditions of $or& ut an e'cessive burden on them and em lo#ment $hich the# get is e'tremel# irregular. !his boo&let deals $ith these ma(or as ects of the agricultural labour. !r. ". #. C$and%& Agricultural ' (n)iron*ental (ducation +. +ntroduction It is $idel# &no$n to ever# bod# that the agricultural $or&ers are the most neglected class in the Indian masses. Gro$th in the number of agricultural $or&ers)including the cultivators and agricultural labourers engaged in cro roduction% has been the most dis"uieting features of the rural econom# of India. !he henomena of underem lo#ment% under) develo ment% feeling of $ant% overt# etc. are simultaneousl# lives of agricultural labourers. !he# get unusuall# lo$ $ages for the $or& done under the $orst conditions ut in e'cessivel# burdens on hard $or&. !he o ortunit# to $or& is e'tremel# irregular* hence their income is also lo$. Since% the# ossess no s&ill or training% the# have no alternative em lo#ment o ortunities either. Sociall#% a large number of agricultural labourers belong to schedule castes and schedule tribes. +ence% the# are an o ressed class. !he# are not organi,ed and cannot fight for their rights. -ecause of all these reasons% their economic lot has failed to im rove even after four decades of develo mental efforts. +ence% the roblems of agricultural labour are manifold and are mainl# centered round the basic roblems of rural econom# $hich include lo$ income% lo$ roductivit# and lac& of continuous em lo#ment. !here is a need to tac&le these roblems successfull# through the more intensive rogrammes of develo ment in order to im rove the socio)economic conditions and ros ects of agricultural labourers. ++. ,eaning and !e inition o Agricultural Labour Agricultural Labour En"uir# Committee defined agricultural labour as a erson $ho% for more than half of the total number of da#s% $or&ed as an agricultural labour. An agricultural labour ma# be the small or marginal farmer or an artisan% but $hen a erson derives his main earning b# doing some agricultural $or& on others farm is called an agricultural labour.

!he .irst Agricultural Labour En"uir# Committee /ALEC0 in 1234).31 defined this as 5those eo le $ho are engaged in raising cro s on a#ment of $ages.5 !he basis of this definition $as thus the "uantum of hired em lo#ment during the eriod of an# #ear. Accordingl#% the Committee laid do$n that those eo le should be regarded as agricultural $or&ers $ho $or&ed for 346 or more da#s on a#ment of $ages. !he committee also defined on agricultural labour household. If the head of household or 346 or more ot7 the earners re ort agricultural labour as their main occu ation% that famil# should be classified as an agricultural labour household. !he Second Agricultural Labour En"uir# Committee /1238).390 ado ted income as a criterion for demarcating agricultural labour families. As erson $as deemed to be an agricultural labourer and famil# agricultural house hold if his or her or families ma(or source of income during the revious #ear $as from agricultural $age. !he changeover% from 5$or&5 to 5income5 seemed more scientific. +o$ever% even this $as not $ithout fla$s. It is difficult to define the term 5agricultural labour5 in recise terms. !he reason is that unless ca italism develo s full# in agriculture% a se arate class of $or&ers de ending $holl# on $ages does not come u . Since the ca italist relations are in an under)develo ed state in India% such clear)cut class of agricultural $or&ers has not #et evolved. Difficulties in defining agricultural labour are com ounded b# the fact that man# small and marginal farmers also $or& artl# on the farms of others to su lement their income. !o $hat e'tent should the# be considered agricultural labourers is not eas# to ans$er. In the conte't of Indian conditions the definition is not ade"uate because it is not ossible to com letel# se arate those $or&ing on $ages from others. !here are eo le $ho do not $or& as $ages throughout the #ear but onl# for a art of it. +ence% the first AL.E.C. used the conce t of 5agricultural labour household5. !his conce t $as based u on the occu ation of the $or&er. -ut the second A.L.E C. substituted income criteria and said that an 5agricultural labour household5 is one $hose main source of income is $ages from agriculture.5 According to :ational Commission on labour% an agricultural labourer is one 5$ho is basicall# uns&illed and unorgani,ed and has little for his livelihood other than ersonal labour5% !hus% agricultural $or&ers $hose main source of income is in the form of $ages obtained as a result of $or&ing on land fall in this grou . !hese $or&ers have nothing e'ce t their labour to earn livelihood% !he# are uns&illed and unorgani,ed% It consist of t$o sub)categories7 i. landless agricultural labour% and ii% ver# small cultivators $hose main source of earnings% due to their small and sub)marginal holdings% is $age em lo#ment. Landless labour in turn can be classified into t$o broad categories7 a% ermanent labour attached to a cultivating household% and b% casual labour. cro !he second grou can again be sub)divided into three subgrou s7 cultivators% share) ers and lease holders.

Permanent or attached labourers generall# $or& on annual or seasonal basis and the# $or& on some sort of contract. !heir $ages are determined b# custom or tradition. ;n the other hand% tem orar# or casual labourers are engaged onl# during ea& eriod for $or&. !heir em lo#ment is tem orar# and the# are aid at the mar&et rate. !he# are not attached to an# landlord.

<nder the second grou come small farmers $ho ossess ver# little land and therefore% have to devote most of their time $or&ing on the lands of others as labourers. Share)cro ers are those $ho% $hile sharing the roduce of the land for their $or&% also $or& as labourers. !enants are those $ho not onl# $or& on the leased land but also $or& as labourers. !he Agricultural Labour En"uir# Committee differentiated bet$een the 5attached5 and 5casual5 labourers. !he former are those $ho are em lo#ed for a eriod of times i.e.% on annual or seasonal basis b# the assignment of lodging on the farm% $ho are under some sort of contract $ith the em lo#ers% and in $hose case the mode of a#ment is determined b# custom and tradition. !he# are to $or& for their em lo#ers and are not ordinaril# free to see& em lo#ment else$here% $hile the latter% ie.% the casual are engaged in ea& eriod and attend to rush $or& onl#. Such labourers are free to leave one (ob for another $henever the# lease and the# are aid at the mar&et rates. In most cases% the difference bet$een the t$o classes is stated initiall# in terms of eriod for $hich a man is engaged and $hether or not he receives dail# $ages. According to the .irst Agricultural Lahour en"uir# /1234) 310% 246 of the total agricultural labour families $ere 146 attached and 246 casual $or&ers. !he corres onding figures for the second en"uir# /1238)390 are =96 and 9>6 res ectivel#. !he ercentage of agricultural labour in rural o ulation $as >4.?% of $hich 34 ercent $ere $ithout land at the time of first en"uir#. During the second en"uir# these figures $ere =?.3 ercent and 39 ercent res ectivel#. !his brief anal#sis is enough to rove that even the e' erts are not agreed u on the definition of agricultural labour. Accordingl#% $e must remain content $ith a $or&ing definition. All those ersons $ho derive a ma(or art of their income as a#ment for $or& erformed on the farms of others% can be designated as agricultural $or&ers. .or a ma(or art of the #ear the# should $or& on the land of others on $ages. +++. C$aracteristics o Agricultural Labour !here are certain eculiar characteristics of agricultural labour that hel us to distinguish them from industrial labour. 1. -rgani.ation a*ong agricultural /orker Agricultural labour is unorgani,ed. <nli&e industrial units% agricultural $or&ers need not $or& in unions. A lac& of contact bet$een $or&ers ma&es it im ossible to develo an# meaningful organi,ation. Industrial $or&ers rotect their interest b# organi,ing themselves into trade unions% but agricultural $or&ers could not organi,e themselves because the# live in distant laces and do not $or& in large number at one lace. It $as suggested that $or&ers should organi,e themselves through coo erative societies. It should be noted that conditions in this res ect are im roving $ith the agricultural develo ment% s read of education and olitical consciousness among agricultural $or&ers. 2. Agricultural /orkers are basicall% unskilled !he# ma# not be s&illed even in the art of cultivation. Conse"uentl#% their su l# is erfectl# elastic% and therefore% $hatever% the# earn is in the nature of transfer earnings. !he em lo#er often uses this osition to his ersonal gain b# contracting to a# less than $hat the mar&et forces $ould have $arranted other$ise.

0. Agricultural labour is *igrator% It can be dra$n from a distant lace to the lace of $or& during a bus# season. 1. A 2erson o lo/ *eans !his $ill be a situation $hen a small farmer em lo#s another small farmer $ho ma# not have sufficient $or& to do b# himself. A direct contact% therefore% bet$een the em lo#er and the $or&er is a distinct characteristic of agricultural labour. 5. Lack o legal 2rotection Agricultural labor is though covered b# agricultural minimum $ages rules and regulations% but usuall# the# are flouted more often than observed in rural areas. 3. Nature o e*2lo%*ent During 129?)93% there has been an all round decrease in the estimated number of da#s of $age em lo#ment. @here as* in self)em lo#ment a definite trend in Aural Labour households ta&ing u more and more self)em lo#ment is evident des ite the fact that there has been less o ortunities for the labourers to earn their $ages from the non)agricultural o erations. Men $or&ed for more da#s as com ared to $omen and children. +o$ever% the children remained engaged in $age aid em lo#ment for more da#s as com ared to $omen labourers /table 1 B table =0. !able 17 Em lo#ment /:umber of full da#s in a #ear0 of Agricultural Labourers /All India0 Sl.:o 1 a. b. = a. b. > a. b. Men @age Em lo#ment i. Agricultural ii. :on)Agricultural Self)Em lo#ment @omen @age Em lo#ment i. Agricultural ii. :on)Agricultural Self)Em lo#ment Children @age Em lo#ment i. Agricultural ii. :on)Agricultural Self)Em lo#ment Agricultural Labour 128?)83 =?= =19 =3 =3 184 1?2 11 1C ==? =49 19 == All Aural +ousehold Labour 129?)93 128?)83 =13 12> == =C 1?2 1>C 11 =? 12? 19C 18 >2 =?3 =12 =8 =3 19= 181 11 1C ==> =49 18 == +ousehold 129?)93 =1? 12= == =C 1?C 1>9 11 =? 12> 199 18 >2

!able = reveals that average dail# earnings of all the labourers /men% $omen and children0 engaged in agricultural and non)agricultural o erations recorded shar increase /in mone# terms0 during 129?)93 over the earnings re orted in the revious en"uir#. !he average dail# earnings of men for all agricultural o erations increased b# about 1=9 ercent% for $omen about 1>2 ercent and that for children about 13> ercent during 129?)93 as com ared to the last en"uir#. +o$) ever% there $as no remar&able variation bet$een the average earnings for all agricultural and non)agricultural o erations as also bet$een the agricultural and all rural labour

households. +o$ever% there is a notable difference bet$een the earnings of men in agricultural and non)agricultural o erations and be) longing to all rural labour households. !able = 7 Average Dail# Earnings in Agricultural and :on)Agricultural ; erations Sl.:o I i. ii. iii. II i. ii. iii. Agricultural Labour 128?)83 All Agricultural ; erations Men 1.?> @omen 2.23 Children 4.9= :on) Agricultural ; erations Men 1.3? @omen 4.2= Children 4.9? +ousehold 129?)93 >.>? =.=9 1.C= >.=9 =.1= 1.C? All Aural Labour 128?)83 1.?1 4.C2 4.98 1.CC 1.1C 4.C1 +ousehold 129?)93 >.=8 =.=9 1.C= ?.42 =.>? 1.C?

4. +ndebtedness 2er $ouse$old It is evident from the !able > that the ercentage of households in debt increased from 84.8 in 128?)83 to 88.? in 129?) 93. !he corres onding figure for all rural labour households stood at 83.? in 129?)93 as against 32.= during 128?)83. As regards the average debt er indebted household% the situation corres onding became grave b# registering an increase of about 1>2 and 1?1 ercent in res ect of agricultural and all rural labour households res ectivel#. !his table further reveals that mone# lenders continued to be the traditional source of borro$ing. -orro$ings $ere largel# made for consum tion ur oses and the average debt er indebted household raised for roduction ur oses $as the lo$est. !able >7 Indebtedness among the agricultural labourers. Sl.:o 1 = > Agricultural Labour 128?)83 All agricultural o erations Percentage of 84.8 households in debt Average debt er 1?C household /As0 Average debt er =?? indebted household /As0 +ousehold 129?)93 88.? >C9 3C? All rural Labour 128?)83 32.= 1?C =31 +ousehold 129?)93 83.? >23 843

5. Seasonalit% in e*2lo%*ent :ational Commission on Labour has ointed out that intensit# of em lo#ment varies according to seasons. Shortage of lahour is actuall# felt during ea& agricultural seasons in several areas and a large ro ortion of labour remains unem lo#ed or under)em lo#ed during the slac& season. +o$ever% the trend to$ards reduction in under)em lo#ment has strengthened since 1281. !he e'tent of im rovement is not uniform. In areas $here farmers have to ta&e advantage of ne$ agricultural labour has been rovided $ith $or& more or less throughout the #ear.

6. !istribution o additional labour orce b% sector o acti)it% :ational Commission on Labour ointed out that in the 13 #ears bet$een 1281 and 1298 increase in the non)agricultural $or&ing force $ill have to be 14= ercent against a corres onding increase of onl# about >8 ercent bet$een 1231 and 1281. !his means that the rate of absor tion of labour outside agriculture bet$een 1281)1298 $ill have to be roughl# double of that $itnessed in the #ear 1231)1281. !he commission further ointed out that the number of $or&ers de ending on agriculture for their livelihood $ill increase substantiall#% from 118.3 millions in 1281 to 1>C.8 millions in 1298% that is b# == millions. 10. 7ours o /ork !he hours of $or& of agricultural labour are not regulated b# legislation. +ours of $or& var# from lace to lace% cro to cro and season to season. It should be noted that the $or&ing hours of agricultural labourers are not ver# long. Generall#% agricultural labourers $or& for about C hours a da# $ith a brea& of t$o hours. !here are fe$ occasions $hen an agricultural labour has to $or& for longer hours% that is% during harvest season* but during this time he is also aid $ell. It has also been found that iece $or&ers often $or& for lesser number of hours $hile the# earn more. 11. 7ousing conditions !he housing conditions of agricultural labourers are miserable and de lorable. !heir houses are generall# situated at laces $here insanitar# conditions of highest order are found. !he# are not $ell built and $orst of its &inds. !hus% because of insanitar# conditions% lac& of accommodation and oor standard of living% the agricultural $or&ers are sub(ected to diseases $hich are infectious in nature. +8. Categories o Agricultural Labourers In res ect of agricultural labour% :ational Commission on Labour% stated that% $or&ers in agricultural sector are distributed into three main categories7 i. cultivators% ii. agricultural labour% and iii. $or&ers engaged in forestr#% fishing and live) stoc&% etc. In the Indian conte't% the basic classification% attached labourers are attached to some cultivator household on the basis of a $ritten or oral agreement. !heir em lo#ment is ermanent and regular. Accordingl#% $henever% the master $ishes% the# are read# to $or& on his land. :ormall#% the# are not free to $or& at an# other lace. In man# instances% attached labourers also do the tas& of domestic servants in addition to $or&ing on land. !he hours of $or& are ver# length# and in some cases% attached agricultural labourers have to $or& from da$n to dus& in the houses and farms of their em lo#ers. @hile the casual $or&ers% are free to $or& on the farm of an# farmer and a#ment is generall# made to them on a dail# basis. !here are broadl# three t# es of casual agricultural $or&ers in India7 i. S*all anners7 $ho have ver# small holdings and are thus forced to $or& on the farms of others to ma&e both ends meet* ii. tenants7 $ho $or& on leased land but this is not their main source of income /the main source of income being $or& erformed on the land of others0* and ill. s$are-cro22ers7 $ho besides sharing the roduce of land cultivated b# them% also $or& as labourers.

8. Present Position o Agricultural Labour in +ndia Agricultural labour is rovided mostl# b# economicall# and sociall# bac&$ard sections* oor sections from the tribes also fall in this ran&. !he first grou of agricultural $or&ers has been more or less in the osition of serfs or slaves* the# are also &no$n as bonded labour. !he# do not normall# receive $ages in cash but are generall# aid in &ind. !he# have to $or& for their masters and cannot shift from one to another. !he# have to rovide beggar or forced labour. In some cases% the# have to offer cash and also su l# fo$ls and goats to their masters. 1. ,agnitude o Agricultural Labour Accurate figures about the number% income% standard of living% etc. of rural labour are not available. -ut some information is available in the form of the re orts of committees and commissions. According to the second agricultural labour en"uir# ublished in 1284% agricultural labour families constituted nearl# =36 of all rural families. According to this% more than C36 of the rural $or&ers are casual% serving an# farmer $ho is $illing to engage them and onl# in ercent of agricultural labourers are attached to s ecific landlords. More than half of the $or&ers do not ossess an# land% and even the rest of them o$n onl# ver# little of land. Agricultural labourers redominantl# belong to the scheduled castes% scheduled tribes and other bac&$ard classes. /-et$een 93 and C4 ercent scheduled castes0. It has been seen that agricultural labourers $ho numbered .>1 million in 1281 have increased to 32 million in 12C1 this has to be seen in the bac&ground of the increase of total rural labour force $hich increased from 19? million in 128?)83 to ==8 million in 12C1. As a ro ortion of the total rural labour force% the ercentage of landless labourers has increased from 1C ercent in 128?)83 to =3 ercent in 12C1. Another finding has sho$n that the da#s on $hich an agricultural labourer is em lo#ed have declined. ;fficial data about land distribution indicate that 81 ercent of the rural households either o$n no land or small fragments of land or marginal uneconomic holdings of less than 1 hectare. !a&en together% 81 6 of households o$n barel# C6 of cultivated area. ;ut of them% ==6 households o$n no land at all* another =36 o$n less than half a hectare /1.= acre0. !hus% these marginal farmers are the recruits in the arm# of landless labourers% since% the# subsist at the border of the overt# line and have been graduall# sli ing belo$ overt# line. 8+. Causes o Poor (cono*ic Conditions o Agricultural Labourers !here are a number of factors res onsible for the continuous and enormous increase in the number of agricultural labourers in India. !he im ortant ones are given here. 1. Lo/ social status Most agricultural $or&ers belong to the de ressed classes $hich have been neglected for ages. !he lo$ caste and the de ressed classes have been sociall# handica ed and the# had never the courage to assert themselves. 2. 9norgani.ed Agricultural $or&ers are illiterate and ignorant. !he# live in scattered villages. +ence% the# cannot easil# be organi,ed in unions.

0. Seasonal e*2lo%*ent !he agricultural $or&ers do not have continuous $or&. ;n an average a farm labourer finds em lo#ment for about =44 da#s in a #ear and for the rest of the #ear he is idle. <nem lo#ment and underem lo#ment are t$o im ortant factors res onsible for lo$ income and conse"uentl# lo$ economic osition of the agricultural $or&ers in India. -ut% the nature of agricultural $or& is such that a farm is seasonal and intermittent 1. Paucit% o non-agricultural :obs Paucit# of non)agricultural occu ations in village areas is another im ortant factor for their lo$ $ages and oor economic conditions. !he gro$ing ressure of o ulation is increasingl# felt in rural areas and the number of landless labourers is steadil# increasing. 5. ;ural indebtedness Agricultural labour is heavil# indebted :ormall#% the farm labourers borro$ from the lando$ners under $hom the# $or&. Since% the# have no securit# to offer% the# ledge themselves to the mone#lenders and rich landlords and become bonded labourers in man# areas. :aturall#% the# $ill be forced to acce t lo$er $ages. 3. +ncrease in 2o2ulation @ith the increasing o ulation% it is generall# not ossible to rovide increasing em lo#ment o ortunities in these sectors% and thus% increase in the number of agricultural labourers. 8++. <o)ern*ent ,easures Pertaining to Agricultural Labour Soon after Inde endence% the centre as $ell as the State Government have ta&en some measures to im rove the economic condition of agricultural labour. 1. +ndian Constitution !he Indian constitution has declared the ractice of serfdom an offense. It has abolished agrarian slaver# including forced labour b# la$ but it $ill ta&e some time before it is removed in ractice. 2. ,ini*u* =ages Act !he Minimum @ages Act $as assed in 12?C% according to $hich ever# State Government $as as&ed to fi' minimum $ages for agricultural labour $ithin three #ears. !he minimum $ages are fi'ed &ee ing in vie$ the total costs and standard of living. Since% conditions in various arts of the countr# are different and even $ithin a state the la$ allo$s different rates of $ages to be fi'ed. In ractice minimum $ages are ver# difficult to enforce effectivel#. In man# states% the rates are fi'ed even belo$ the current rates of $ages. In ractices% it has failed to increase the $ages and earnings of agricultural labour. 0. -t$er legislati)e *easures !he Damindari s#stem has been abolished b# la$ in all the states and $ith that all the e' loitation associated $ith the s#stem has been removed. -esides% tenanc# la$s have been assed in most of the states rotecting the interests of the tenants and labourers and enabling them to ac"uire the lands the# cultivate. Man# states have assed legislation fi'ing ceiling on agricultural holdings b# $hich the ma'imum amount of land $hich a erson can hold has been fi'ed b# la$. 1. -rgani.ation o labour coo2erati)es

During the Second .ive)#ear lan% effort $ere made to encourage the formation of labour co)o eratives. !hese coo eratives $hose members are $or&ers underta&e the contract of government ro(ects% such as% construction of roads% digging of canals and tan&s% afforestation etc. !he# rovide em lo#ment to agricultural $or&ers during off)season and also eliminate the ossible e' loitation of $or&ers b# the rivate contractors. 5. (*2lo%*ent <uarantee Sc$e*e !he Governrnent of Maharashtra introduced in 1299 the Em lo#ment Guarantee Scheme under $hich an# able b/0died erson in rural areas can a l# for a (ob. !he rate of $ages $ill not be such as to attract agricultural $or&ers from their normal em lo#ment in agricultural o erations. !he Maharashtra Em lo#ment Guarantee Scheme is being ado ted b# other states as $ell Ea$ahar Ao,gar Fo(ana launched b# the Central Government in 12C2 is a further ste in this direction. 3. S2ecial Area Progra**e During the earlier stages% the Government had conceived of communit# develo ment rogrammes as instruments of rural transformation that $ould include agricultural lahourers too. Subse"uentl#% ho$ever% it $as found more viable to carr# out such rogrammes more intensivel# in selected districts and areas. @ith this vie$ a number of s ecial area rogrammes $ere conceived among them a s ecific mention need to he made of small farmers GDevelo ment Agenc#% Marginal .armersG and Agricultural LabourersG Develo ment Agenc# Programme% etc. 4. Land recla*ation and settle*ent Land reclamation measures have been intensified in different arts of the countr#. Land so secured has been distributed among the landless agricultural labourers. Similarl#% resettlement schemes have included rovision of land 14 this class of $or&ers% credit facilities and other schemes $hich can rove effective instruments of their u liftment. Among these schemes% a s ecific mention need to be made of the -hoodan movement. !his movement aimed at a solution of the roblem of landless agricultural labourers b# a redistribution of land on a voluntar# basis. !he movement% ho$ever% failed to solve the roblem in a big $a#. 5. Abolition o bonded labour !he -onded Labour S#stem /Abolition0 Act% 1298% has been enacted. <nder this act% ever# bonded labourer stands liberated and discharged all obligations to render bonded labour. As $ith other legislative measures% this iece of legislation has also fallen through because of lac& of enforcement. 6. Pro)ision o $ousing sites La$s have been assed in several states for roviding house sites in villages to agricultural $or&ers. A number of ste s $ere underta&en during the Second Plan to rovide house sites free or on a subsidi,ed basis. During .ourth Plan a scheme $as introduced under $hich financial assistance $as given to the states for rovision of house sites $ith an area of 21 s". meters to cover% $here necessar#% the cost of ac"uisition and develo ment of house sites. !he Minimum :eeds Programme /M:P0 and the =4) oint rogramme give a high riorit# to the rural house site)cum)house construction scheme. 10. -t$er *easures Various other measure ado ted b# the government tram time)to)time have either directl# or indirectl# sought to im rove the condition of agricultural $or&ers. .or instance% romotion of

small and cottage industries and village handicrafts and develo ment of industrial estates in rural areas have created (ob o ortunities for agricultural $or&ers. 8+++. Suggestions or +*2ro)e*ent !he follo$ing suggestions can be made for im roving the $or&ers. osition of agricultural

1. Better i*2le*entation o legislati)e *easures !hough the Minimum @ages Act $as assed as far bac& as in 12?C% #et its im lementation leaves much to be desired. !here is no administrative machiner# $orth the name to im lement effectivel# the rovisions of the Minimum @age Act. Even other $ise% fi'ation of minimum $ages in an era of continuous and e'orbitant rise in rices carries no consolation for the starved masses of agricultural $or&ers. +ence% it is necessar# to rovide for eriodical revision of minimum $ages &ee ing the changing rice trends in vie$. 2. +*2ro)ing t$e bargaining 2osition S ecial efforts should be directed to$ards organi,ing agricultural $or&ers. It is onl# such organisation that can im rove their bargaining o$er and ensure better $ages and better conditions of $or& for them. !his is not eas# because the large farmers and big landlords are economicall# and sociall# ver# o$erful. -ecause of their unlimited o$er the# have succeeded in inning do$n $hatever little attem ts $ere made b# agricultural $or&ers to organi,e themselves in some arts of the countr#. 0. ;esettle*ent o agricultural /orkers !he sur lus land and ne$l# reclaimed land should be allotted onl# to agricultural $or&ers. +o$ever% there are h#sical limitations to this rogramme. !he su l# of land is ver# much limited in relation to the number of agricultural $or&ers. !o co e $ith this roblem% ste s can be ta&en to set u coo erative farms or state farms $here em lo#ment at fair $ages can be rovided to the agricultural labourers. 1. Creating alternati)e sources o e*2lo%*ent !he best olic# is to create am le em lo#ment o ortunities outside the field of agriculture. -ecause of the ressure on land of increasing o ulation it is becoming more and more difficult to absorb additional labour on farms and unless other sectors of the econom# create am le em lo#ment o ortunities it $ill not be ossible to solve the roblems of agricultural $or&ers. Perha s% the best strateg# $ould be to romote labour intensive industries in rural areas. .or this ur ose facilities of o$er% finance and training rural #outh should be rovided in the villages. !his $ill reduce the de endence of agricultural $or&ers on land and increase their incomes. 5. +*2ro)ing t$e /orking conditions It is necessar# to im rove the $or&ing conditions of agricultural $or&ers. !heir hours of $or& should be statutoril# fi'ed and strictl# enforced. Incase of $or& be#ond the sti ulated hours% overtime a#ments should be made. Child labour should be totall# banned. 3. Public /ork 2rogra**es A ma(or roblem of man# agricultural $or&ers is that the# are em lo#ed onl# for a art of the #ear% for e'am le% during so$ing and harvesting. .or the remaining art of the #ear the# remain unem lo#ed. !he eriod of inactivit# ma# var# from three months to si' months. During this eriod% it is necessar# to organi,e rural $or&s rogramme li&e construction of roads% school

buildings% digging of canals% $ells% etc. so that em lo#ment can be $or&ers all the #ear round.

rovided to agricultural

4. ;aising t$e standard o li)ing !he state can% if it $ishes% organi,e s ecial rogrammes to im rove the standard of living of agricultural $or&ers. Since a large ro ortion of such $or&ers belong to scheduled castes% the# are not allo$ed to ta&e $ater from village $ells. State can arrange for drin&ing $ater for them. State can also rovide housing sites to agricultural $or&ers so that the# do not remain houseless. State can organi,e fair rice sho s in rural areas to save agricultural $or&ers $ho generall# sell goods at high rices. !o im rove the socio)economic environment in $hich agricultural labourers $or&% State can rovide amenities of rural life li&e health centres% maternit# $ards% s orts facilities% clubs% etc. s ecial rogrammes for vocational and technical training of agricultural $or&ers can also be arranged. 5. Social securit% Agricultural labour has no social securit#% no earned leave% no sic& leave and no ension or gratuit#. Substantial efforts should be directed in this field. Since% these labourers are not ermanentl# attached to an# em lo#er% the tas& of roviding social securit# is indeed a com le' one. !hus% this res onsibilit# has to be borne b# the State. !hese measures can go along $a# in solving most of the roblems of agricultural $or&ers. As stated earlier% the basic tas& is to distribute sur lus land amongst agricultural $or&ers and rovide additional em lo#ment o ortunities in villages through the develo ment of small and cottage industries. General im rovement in the $or&ing conditions% enforcement of legislative measures% rovision of social securit#% etc. ate all secondar# to the above t$o measures. 66666666