Women and Distress Employment: The Case of Beedi Workers

Contents: 1. Introduction. 2. Situation of Women Beedi Workers in India: A Critical Review. 3. Macro Analysis of India’s Beedi Industry: What Does It Indicate? 4. India’s Policy Mapping for Beedi Workers. 5. Employment and Income Status from Beedi Rolling and Alternative Occupations. 6. Emerging Issues and Probable Strategies for Beedi Workers.

This book systematically analyses the employment vulnerability of home-based women beedi workers in terms of their precarious employment, low wage rates/income, hazardous work environment, persisting health problems, systemic exploitation, and their poor access to various social security schemes. The remuneration generated by beedi workers is too less compared to the labour they put in. As an occupation, it provides no more than basic sustenance. Based on the field insights from two major beedi manufacturing states Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the study suggests that the lack of skills, little or no access to credit, lack of in-demand vocational training, and absence of suitable alternative livelihoods compel these women to continue beedi rolling. This book will be useful not only as reference material for researchers but also to formulate a strong policy in favour of women beedi workers.