Socio Legal Protection Of Beedi Workers Under Labour Welfare Legislations In India: An Assessment

Abstract

The larger share of Beedi workers in India belong to the unorganized sector. The workers in this sector are facing innumerable issues
like poor working condition, low wages, fraud by contractors and various other health hazards. They are basically from the weaker
section of the society. In order to ameliorate their condition, the government has initiated various welfare legislations and enacted
various schemes to give them better life and thereby trying to improve their standard of living. These Acts and schemes provide for
various social security provisions like easy access to medical treatment, access to education, subsidised housing and entertainment
facilities, etc. But in spite of the legislations and various schemes, the condition of the workers is far from satisfactory as they cannot
reap the benefits given for them under those enactments. In order to deal with all the difficulties, government must take steps for
uplifting this section of the society. This paper is an attempt to study the socio-economic conditions of the beedi workers in India and
to suggest fruitful measures for effective enforcement and implementation of the social welfare legislations and schemes in favour of
the beedi workers in India.