3. Difficulties in defining Agricultural Labor
1. Lack of capitalism
2. Small and marginal farmers work on the
farms of others
4. Understanding Agricultural Labor
The First Agricultural Labour Enquiry Committee 1950-55
defined Agricultural Labourer as - “Those people who
are engaged in raising crops on payment of wages”
The Second Agricultural Labour Enquiry Committee 1956-
57 enlarged the distribution to include - "Those who are
engaged in other agricultural occupations like dairy,
farming, horticulture, raising of live-stock, bees,
poultry etc.”
5. Understanding Agricultural Labor
First A.L.E.C gave the concept of Agricultural Labour
Household
“If half or more members of household have wage,
employment in agriculture then those households should
be termed as agricultural labour household.”
The Second Committee:
If 50% or more of its income is derived as wages for work
rendered in agriculture only, then it could be classed to
agricultural labour household.
6. Understanding Agricultural Labor
According to the National Commission
on Labour:
"an agricultural laborer is one who is
basically unskilled and unorganized
and has little for its livelihood, other
than personal labour."
7. Classification of Agricultural Labor
Agriculture
Laborers
Landless
Laborer
Attached to
landlords
Independent
but work for
others
Petty Farmers
Farmers
(independent)
10. Characteristics of Agricultural Laborers
Agricultural Laborers are Scattered
Agricultural Laborers are Unskilled and Lack Training
Unorganized Sector
Low Social Status
Demand and Supply of Labour
Less Bargaining Power
At the Bidding of the Landlord
11. Causes for Growth
The more important among them are :
Increase in population
Capitalistic Agriculture
Displacement of means of subsidiary occupations
Decline of cottage industries and handicrafts
Eviction of small farmers and tenants from land
Uneconomic Holdings
Increase in indebtedness
Spread of the use of money and exchange system
Break-up of joint family system.
12. Measures taken by the Government to
improve the Conditions of Agricultural
Laborers
Passing of Minimum Wage Act.
Abolition of Bonded Labourers
Providing land to landless labourers
Provision of Housing cities to
houseless
13. Special schemes for providing
employment
Crash Scheme for Rural Employment (CSRE)
Pilot Intensive Rural Employment Project
(PIREP)
Food for works programme (FWP)
National Rural Employment Programme
(NREP)
Rural Landless Employment Programme
(RLEP)
Drought Prone Area Programme (It was
known as Rural Works Programme)
14. Jawahar Rojgar Yojana (which come in with the
merger of NREP and RLEGP)
Desert Development Programme
National Scheme of Training of Rural Youth for Self
Employment (TRYSM)
Development of Women and Children in Rural
Areas (DWCRA)
Abolition of Bonded Labourer Act
Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP)
Krishi Shamik Samajik Suraksha Yojna from
1.7.2001 to provide social security
15. Suggestions for the Improvement of
Agricultural Labour :
Better implementation of legislative measures.
Improvement in the bargaining position
Resettlement of agricultural workers
Creating alternative sources of employment
Protection of women and child laborers
Public works programs should be for longer period
in year
16. Laws governing Agricultural Labor in
India
Minimum Wages Act 1948
Plantation Labor Act 1951
A comprehensive Legislation underway
Agricultural Worker Welfare fund
Multi dimensional Course of Action
i. Improvement of Infrastructural facilities
ii. Diversification to non farm activities
iii. Financial Assistance to promote self employment
iv. Optimizing use of Land Resources through a variety of rural
development, poverty alleviation and employment generation
programmes