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What’s the news?

• The High Court of Bombay has recently taken suo motu cognisance of the exploitation of the intra-State workforce that migrates seasonally from the drought-affected and water-scarce regions of Marathwada to the sugar-belt region of western Maharashtra.

Central Idea

• According to the Maharashtra Sugar Commissioner, in 2022-23, the net area under sugar cane was 1.487 million hectares, and there were 203 crushing factories in the State that were expected to produce 138 lakh metric tons of sugar. Though intra-State migrant workers form the backbone of the sugar cane industry and economic growth, they have remained critically marginalised and oppressed for several decades.

Seasonal Migrant Workers

• Seasonal migrant workers are individuals who temporarily migrate from one region or area to another for work during specific seasons or periods of the year.
• These workers move to places where demand for labor is higher during certain agricultural or industrial activities, often due to seasonal variations in work opportunities.
• For example, Workers from the drought-affected and water-scarce regions of Marathwada in Maharashtra migrate to the sugar-belt districts of western Maharashtra. They do so to work in the sugar cane industry, particularly during the harvesting season.

Challenges faced by the these workers 

• Exploitative Labor Practices: Seasonal migrant workers in the sugar cane industry are often recruited through labor contractors known as Mukadams. This exploitative system allows sugar factories to obtain a large volume of temporary, cheap, and efficient workforce.
• Low Wages and Job Insecurity: Migrant workers often receive low wages for their labor, and their work is typically temporary and seasonal. As a result, they face uncertainty about future employment opportunities.
• Inadequate Working Conditions: The nature of sugar cane harvesting and processing tasks can be physically demanding and hazardous. Workers, including women, may engage in strenuous work, such as head loading, leading to accidents.
• Lack of Social Protection: Seasonal migrant workers may lack access to social protection schemes, such as health insurance and other benefits, leaving them financially vulnerable in case of illness or injury.
• Invisibility and Marginalization: Migrant workers are often marginalised and overlooked in the regions where they migrate for work. This invisibility can limit their access to essential services, education, and healthcare.
• Education Challenges for Children: Children accompanying their parents may face disruptions in their education due to migration, and there may be insufficient alternative schooling models, impacting their learning and development.

Primary drivers of this migration

• Lack of Employment Opportunities:
• Marathwada, being a region with drought-prone areas and water scarcity, faces challenges in providing sufficient employment opportunities to its rural population.
• The agricultural sector, which is the primary source of employment, often experiences prolonged unemployment after the sowing of rabi crops, leaving many small and marginal peasant households without work.
• Crop Failures and Debt: The region of Marathwada is susceptible to crop failures due to erratic monsoons and water shortages. Repeated crop failures result in the accumulation of debt for many farmers and agricultural laborers, making their economic situation precarious.
• Acute Unemployment: Apart from crop-related employment, there may be limited industries or economic activities in the region that can absorb the surplus labor during non-agricultural seasons, leading to acute unemployment.
• Attractive Job Opportunities in the Sugar Cane Industry:
• The sugar-belt districts of western Maharashtra, such as Sangli, Kolhapur, Pune, Satara, Solapur, and Ahmednagar, are known for their sugar cane industry.
• During the sugar cane harvesting and processing seasons, there is a high demand for labor in the sugar factories and fields, making it an attractive destination for seasonal migrant workers seeking employment.
• Mukadam System and Labor Contractors:
• The Mukadam system/ contractors act as intermediaries and provide labor couples to the factories.
• Workers, often in need of employment, rely on the Mukadams, creating a system of dependence that perpetuates the migration.
• Lack of Diversified Livelihood Options: Limited livelihood diversification in the home region may prompt individuals to seek employment opportunities in other regions with more robust economic activities.

Concerns and challenges in framing meaningful policies 

• Inadequate Data and Migration Tracking:

• Lack of comprehensive data is hindering the formulation of meaningful policies for seasonal migrants, making it difficult to address their specific needs effectively.
• The Migration Tracking System (MTS) application, launched by the Women and Child Development Department in 2022, aimed to track and enumerate seasonal migrants, particularly focusing on children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers to ensure their well-being and access to services.
• However, the MTS falls short in providing a complete picture of seasonally migrating families, including their employment status, wage structure, and entitlement coverage.
• Plight of Women:
• Women working in the sugar cane industry face strenuous and hazardous tasks, such as headloading cane bundles and carrying heavy weights on trucks or trolleys (Oxfam India 2020).
• Their work adversely impacts their bodies, causing musculoskeletal disorders and several gynecological issues (Oxfam India 2020).
• Early and forced marriages among migrant women lead to problems for adolescent girls, resulting in early pregnancies (15-17 years), deliveries without trained birth attendants, and frequent childbirth (UNESCO).
• Studies have also reported recurring cases of violence and sexual harassment linked to labor contractors (Mukadams) and male workers, further exacerbating the vulnerabilities faced by migrant women.
• Plight of Children:
• Children accompanying their parents to sugar cane fields face blatant violations of the Right to Education (National Education Policy, NEP, 2020).
• The lack of sufficient alternative schooling models affects their education, potentially forcing them into child labor.
• School records often fail to acknowledge the physical absence of these children from school, perpetuating the lack of proper education for them (International Institute for Population Sciences, IIPS, and UNICEF, 2022)

Way forward: Need for government interventions

• Data Collection and Migration Tracking System (MTS): The government should conduct a periodic and time-bound enumerating exercise to create a credible databank of seasonal migrants. Expand the scope of the Migration Tracking System (MTS.
• Empowering Labor Administration: Strengthening labor administration and enforcing labor laws is essential to protect the rights of migrant workers. Regular inspections should be conducted.
• Holistic Policy Development: Formulate comprehensive policies specifically addressing the needs of seasonal migrants. Collaborate with different Ministries and Departments to address the multi-dimensional challenges faced by migrant workers and their families.
• Addressing Women’s Plight: Implement long-term intervention strategies to address the challenges faced by women migrant workers. Provide training and opportunities for skill development to enhance their economic independence and ensure their health and safety in the workplace.
• Ensuring Children’s Education: Implement alternative schooling models for children accompanying their parents to sugar cane fields. Protect their Right to Education and prevent them from being forced into child labor.
• Access to Justice and Safe Working Conditions: Ensure that seasonal migrants have access to justice and are guaranteed safe and healthy working and living conditions. Address the exploitative Mukadam system prevalent in the sugar cane industry to protect the workers’ rights.

Conclusion

• Empowering seasonal migrant workers in Maharashtra’s sugar cane industry is crucial to fostering inclusive economic growth and protecting human rights. The State government must act with strong political will to formulate comprehensive policies and interventions that address the vulnerabilities faced by these workers at both the source and destination regions.