PLIGHT OF CONTRACT LABOUR IN POST INDEPENDENCE ERA: AN ANALYSIS

Abstract

The expression “Contract Labour”’ has been characterized in the Encyclopedia Britannica as “the labour or workers whose freedom is restricted by the terms of a contractual relation and by-laws that such arrangements permissible and enforceable”. It normally refers to labourers connected through a mediatory and is founded on three parties’ relationship among the user enterprises, the mediator and the workers. Contract labour in India lacs in number and usually belong to the informal and private sector. Though they form a sizable chunk of our workforce but have very limited contractual power, have insufficient or no social security, moreover are often engaged in risky occupations endangering their strength and safety. They have often rejected minimum wages and have scarce or no certainty of employment.

Currently, industrial form paradigm in the world, as well as India, had entirely changed pursuing the adaption of the open market policy. With the outset of globalization, liberalization and privatization, the country does, by and large, capable to preserve a qualitative and positive industrial relations environment. The acute insecurity of employment of such labour and their exploitation in various form was invariably attributed to jobbers who recruited them and supervised their work. Government policies for contract labour.[1]