Empowering rural labour in India : market, state and mobilisation

Even though there are signs of improvement in the levels of living and earnings during the 1980s, the rural labour, which is the most vulnerable among various groups of workers, has been largely bypassed by the process of socio-economic development in India over the last five decades. The processes of structural adjustment programme underway in the economy have a direct as well as indirect bearing on the rural labour. In the emerging scenario it is necessary to examine afresh the recent trends and policies which have implications for the empowerment of rural labour.

This volume, containing twenty one articles from experts and activists, provides an indepth insight into the recent developments and processes at work in the rural labour markets in India and evaluates how far the attempts towards their empowerment have been successful. In this context, this volume examines in detail, both at micro and macro levels, the role of operations of the market forces, state interventions and mobilisation by trade unions, political parties and non governmental organisations (NGOs).

The volume will be useful for academicians, policy makers, social activists and all those interested in the study of rural poor in general and rural labour in particular.