Labour, Employment and Migration
■ Bihar has an abundance of human resource and this requires the creation of large-scale and diversified employment opportunities within the state. In absence of it, a large contingent of the working population travels to other industrialized states of India and abroad to obtain gainful employment.
Moreover, the persistence of the less-productive and less-diversified agricultural sector, small industrial base and petty services sector has adversely affected the employability and livelihood options of the working-age population in Bihar.
Therefore the Government should frame policies and implement them to create employment opportunities in the state so that the livelihood conditions of the working-age population can be improved.
■ Size of Labour Force and WorkForce:
The following indicators are based on the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO), from July 2018 to June 2019.
■ Labour force participation rate (LFPR):
Labour Force Participation Rate is defined as the percentage of persons in the labour force in the total population.
Bihar registered the lowest female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) at merely 4% in rural areas and 6.5% in urban areas, which was much below the all-India average.
■ Worker Population Ratio (WPR):
WPR is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population.
The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) for both male and female workers was the lowest in Bihar, among the major states in India. The female WPRs were 4% in rural and 5.7% in urban Bihar.
■ Dependency ratio:
The dependency ratio implies the ratio of non-workers to workers, assuming all persons in age-group 15-59 years as workers.
The dependency ratio in rural Bihar was as high as 61.1%, which was 11.6% higher than the national average.
A low WPR in Bihar translates into a high dependency ratio, both in rural and urban areas.
In Bihar, a large child population (due to high fertility rate) swell the category of the dependent population, leading to a high dependency ratio.
■ Unemployment Rate (UR):
The Unemployment Rate is defined as the percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the Labour Force.
The Labour force is the part of the population who are willing and able to work. Labour Force includes all workers, either employed or unemployed.
( Note: If a person is not seeking employment and also not employed, then they won't be considered unemployed)
The UR among all age groups in Bihar was 10.2% which is significantly higher than the all-India level of 5.8%.
The UR for rural male (10.2) and urban male (10.3) workers in Bihar were substantially higher than the all-India average.
On the other hand, the female UR was as low as 1.4% in rural Bihar while it was 11.9% in urban Bihar.
The reason for this low level of UR for the rural female was their non-participation in the workforce. While the high level of UR for the urban female was because a large number of women wanted to participate in economic activities, but the employment opportunities in urban areas were limited.
■ Employment:
■ Pattern of Employment:
•The distribution of workers by status of employment suggests that 57.6% of male workers in Bihar were self-employed, either as own-account workers or as helper in household enterprises.
• The proportion of regular wage/salaried male workers in Bihar was just 9.7%, the lowest among all the states in India.
• On the other hand, the proportion of female workers in the regular wage/salaried jobs was significantly higher than the male workers at 21.8%. This was almost equal to the all-India average.
However, it must be noted that the size of the female LFPR and female WPR in Bihar, is very small.
■ Distribution of workers in different sectors:
• The Primary sector continues to provide bulk of the employment opportunities to both male and female workers in Bihar.
• The agriculture, forestry and fishing sector absorbed 47.9% of male and 66.8% of female workers.
• For male workers, the second most important employment provider was the construction sector at 17.7% which was more than the national average (14.2%).
• For female workers, the second most important employment provider was the education sector at 16.7% which was also more than the national average of 7.6%.
• In the services sector, the most important employment prover was wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles.
■ Recruitment by State and Other Organizations:
In Bihar, the most important agencies for recruitment are Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), Bihar Technical Service Commission (BTSC), Bihar State Electronic Development Corporation (BELTRON) and Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI).
■ Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC):
The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) is a constitutional body under Article 315 of the Constitution of India.
The BPSC provide human resource to various departments of the State Government through the rigorous recruitment process.
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■ Bihar Technical Service Commission (BTSC)
The Bihar Technical Services Commission (BTSC) was constituted by the State Government in 2014 and became functional in 2017.
BTSC recommends candidates to fill the technical posts in various departments and regional offices of Bihar.
■ Bihar State Electronic Development Corporation (BELTRON)
BELTRON provides skilled human resource to the various departments of the State Government for handling Information Technology (IT) and IT-enabled Services (ITeS).
The recruits under BELTRON include Data entry operators, Programmers and other skilled manpower.
■ Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI)
The Union Ministry of Rural Development had initiated Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI) to provide skill up-gradation training to the rural youth for entrepreneurship development.
The RSETI provides training to engage and encourage youth for self-employment and entrepreneurship for their own livelihood.
■ Labour Welfare Measures:
■ Bonded Labour Rehabilitation Scheme (BLRS):
In India, Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976, was enacted to abolish any type of forced, debt or bondage labour. In this direction, in May 2016, the State Government revised the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourer and subsequently implemented it.
• Under this scheme financial assistance is divided into three different categories.
First Category : Rescued adult male bonded labourers would be given financial assistance of ₹ 1 lakh for rehabilitation.
Second Category : This category includes specifically defined bonded labourers (such as orphaned children, children and women who are forcibly engaged in bonded labour and children who are rescued from a nexus of organised or forced begging).
Under this category, a sum of ₹ 2 lakh is given to the rescued bonded labourer.
Third Category : This category includes transgender, children and women who have been rescued from sexual exploitation from brothels, massage parlours or placement agencies.
Under this category, they are provided ₹3 lakh as financial compensation.
• The scheme provides for the creation of Bonded Labour Rehabilitation Fund at the district level with a corpus of ₹10 lakh.
• Immediate assistance of at least ₹20,000 shall be provided by the District Administration to the rescued person out of the District Bonded Labour Rehabilitation Fund at the disposal of the District Magistrate.
• Apart from financial assistance, the scheme also has non-financial components.
After the implementation of the new scheme, a total of ₹91.60 lakh was spent on the rehabilitation of rescued bonded labourers.
■ Bihar Shatabdi Asangatith Karyakhetra Kamgar Awam Shilpkar Samajik Surakhsha Yojana 2011
•Under this scheme, the State Government provides financial support to the workers engaged in the unorganised sector.
• The provisions for differential grants are created under 6 categories, viz. Accidental death, Natural death, Complete permanent disability, Permanent partial disability, Injuries due to accident and Incurable diseases/illness.
• The District Magistrate is the implementation officer of the scheme.
■ Bihar Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board
To implement the Building and Other Construction Worker Act, 1996, the State Government enacted the Bihar Building and other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and conditions of service) Rule, 2005, which was amended from time to time with the latest in 2016.
Under this, Bihar Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board was constituted by the State Government.
- At present, 20 different categories of workers have been identified as construction workers.
- To avail the benefits of Bihar Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board, a construction worker (in the age group of 18 to 60 years) need to be a registered member of the Board.
- The Board ensures the health and safety of the construction workers at the workplace, promotes their welfare, and also manages the funds for different welfare schemes.
- These welfare schemes include, viz. death benefits, maternity benefits, financial support for education, cash awards, financial support for the marriage, cycle purchase plan, instrument purchase plan, house repair grant, medical assistance, annual medical assistance, pension, disability pension, financial assistance for the funeral, family pension, and paternity benefits.
• Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, under this Board, the Labour Resource Department has initiated COVID-19 Special Grant Scheme for the registered construction workers. In September 2020, the State Government announced a grant of ₹2000 each for the construction workers.
• The coverage of the Annual Medical Assistance Scheme for construction workers was universalised during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In 2020-21, because of the pandemic, 180,378 new construction workers have been registered under this Board.
• The Bihar Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board has notified Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan Yojana (PM-SYM).
PM-SYM is a pension scheme to ensure old age protection for Unorganised Workers. At present, workers will not have to pay for a fixed contribution and the Board will bear this contribution for five years.
■ Employees’ State Insurance (ESI)
The Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 was the first major legislation by the Parliament on social security of the workers. The Act was initially implemented for factory workers, but later expanded to employees of all establishments with 10 or more workers.
The Employee’s State Insurance Scheme is a self-financed (contribution by both employers and employees) health insurance scheme that is managed by Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) an autonomous body under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India.
It is an integrated measure of Social Insurance designed to protect the employees against the impact of incidence of sickness, maternity, disablement or death due to employment injury and to provide medical care to insured persons and their families.
The Department of Labour Resources periodically revises the minimum wages for six categories of work, viz.
- Work category I (69 types of informal work)
- Work category II (Papad and Agarbatti Udhyog, dry toilet construction),
- Work category III (drug sale promotion and planning),
- Work category IV (domestic worker),
- Work category V (breaking and grinding stone, beedi and brick making, hair cutting, power loom, silk and thread industry, workers in lac and tea industry, etc.), and
- Work category VI (Agriculture).
The minimum wages are revised every six months under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 (XI of 1948) read with clause (B) of sub-section (1) of Section 5 of the said Act. It is revised twice a year, in April and October.
■ For Child Labour:
• To eradicate child labour, the government has enacted several laws and launched many schemes, among the most potent include Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016.
As per the Act, a “Child" is defined as a person who has not completed his 14 year of age or such age as may be specified in the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, whichever is more. It also completely prohibits the employment of children below 14 years.
• In 2009, the State Government launched a State Plan of Action for Child Protection, Rescue and Rehabilitation, to create a child-friendly and safe environment for the overall wellbeing of children. This plan was further amended in 2017.
• A Child Labour Tracking System software was developed to monitor the rehabilitation process of the rescued child labour.
• State Government had also made a provision for financial support for child labour from the Chief Minister Relief Fund.
• Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Bihar Government will financially support children who have lost their parents due to COVID-19. Under Bal Sahayta Yojana, those children who have lost their both parents or, at least one parent has died due to corona, the State government will provide them ₹1,500 each month till the age of 18.
■ For Migrant Workers:
■ Bihar Rajya Samundrapar Niyojan Bureau
The State Government has formed Bihar Rajya Samundrapar Niyojan Bureau in 2010 under the Department of Labour Resource to provide logistic and legal support to the aspiring international migrant workers.
The Bureau organizes training programme on migration rules, common law, ethics and etiquette of the destination country. It also supports migrants in applying for a passport, visa procedure and emigration clearance.
During the Financial year, 2020-21, Bihar State Overseas Employment Bureau along with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has been working for empanelment as sending organization for Technical Intern Training Programme (TITP) of Japan.
■ Bihar State Migrant Labour Accidental Grant Scheme, 2008
The State Government had launched Bihar State Migrant Labour Accidental Grant Scheme, 2008 to provide financial relief to the dependents of migrant workers.
This scheme is implemented in all the districts of Bihar. To broaden the scope and reach, the State Government has amended the scheme in 2016. Along with all the death cases, permanent complete disability and permanent partial disability were also incorporated to enlarge the coverage of the scheme.
The amount of compensation is ₹1 lakh for death, ₹ 75 thousand for permanent absolute disability, and ₹ 37.50 thousand for permanent complete partial disability.
■ Chief Minister Relief Fund (CMRF)
• Chief Minister Relief Fund (CMRF) fund was created in 1971 as a trust and its income is exempted under Income Tax Act 1961 U/s 12A and 139.
• The Chief Minister of the state is the chairman of CMRF.
• CMRF was established to help people at the time of disaster. The resources under the CMRF are primarily used to render immediate relief to families of natural calamities such as flood, cyclones, earthquakes and epidemics. It also provides financial support to victims of major accidents and riots.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, a sum of ₹ 1000 has been transferred to each of the workers returning from the other states.
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