Challenges for India's informal urban workforce and urban precariousness
India's informal urban workforce, comprising about 90% of total employment, faces extreme precariousness due to the transformation of urban production systems. Cities have shifted from industrial hubs to centers of social reproduction, leading to fragmented labor and precarious living conditions. Key challenges include land tenure insecurity, high cost of living, and limited access to formal banking, exacerbated by the privatization of essential services and gentrification, influenced by the Washington Consensus. The article calls for building strong intersectionalities between organized trade unions and informal sector workers to address these systemic vulnerabilities.
Key Points
- India's informal urban workforce, constituting 90% of total employment, faces extreme precariousness.
- The shift in urban production systems from industrial to social reproduction has led to fragmented labor and precarious living conditions.
- Informal workers suffer from land tenure insecurity, high cost of living, and limited access to formal financial services.
- Privatization of essential services, gentrification, and dilution of labor laws exacerbate the challenges faced by the urban poor.
- Building intersectionalities between organized trade unions and informal sector workers is crucial for addressing urban precariousness.
Exam Facts
- The informal workforce constitutes around 90% of India's total employment.
- According to Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), regular wage or salaried employment remains low in urban areas.
- Around 40% of India's urban poor live in slums.
- The 'Washington Consensus' is mentioned as a guiding approach to development.
- The Kerala Urban Commission is cited for its approach to urban policy from multiple perspectives.
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