No work, but Rajasthan labour chowkis say Modi better for nation -Shalini Nair
-The Indian Express
In the two-cornered contest in Rajasthan, voters, irrespective of whether their allegiance rests with the BJP or Congress, are critical of the decline in jobs. Ajmer, Jaipur, Rajsamand, Udaipur (Rajasthan): For about half an hour, starting 8 am, buses halt at Udaipur’s Syphon labour chowki to offload passengers huddled on their roofs. Hundreds of daily wage workers commute to the 10-odd labour chowkis in Udaipur city, from villages as far as 60 km away. Rooftop travel cuts the Rs 25 one-way fare to Rs 15. Until a couple of years ago, this commute was sure to get them a daily wage of Rs 300 for unskilled work and Rs 500 for skilled ones; Rs 50 lesser in case of women. Now, more than half a month goes in day-long waits, only to return empty-handed. “It’s been like this for two years. First notebandi and then GST, the market has slowed down,” says Bansilal Salvi (40), who makes a living doing civil works such as laying bricks, cement, tiles, and plaster. His work is down to 10-15 days in a month. Salvi, a migrant to Udaipur from nearby Rajsamand district, wants the Centre to legislate a job guarantee scheme in towns and cities like MNREGA in villages. Asked if that would decide his vote, he has a different answer though: “Woh hamare liye raat din border par tainaat hain. Pulwama ke baad pehli baar humne eent ka jawaab pathar se diya hai… Modi damdaar hai (They are stationed day and night at the border for our sake. After Pulwama, for the first time we have given an apt response. Modi is strong).” Please click here to read more. |
The Indian Express, 29 April, 2019, https://indianexpress.com/elections/lok-sabha-elections-no-work-but-rajasthan-labour-chowkis-say-narendra-modi-better-for-nation-5699650/
Tagged with: Job Creation Job cuts Job Insecurity Job Seekers Currency demonetisation mgnrega MGNREGA workers MGNREGS Unorganized Workers Unemployment Informal Women Workers Informal Work Informal Workers Demonetisation Note Ban job loss rajasthan
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