WOMEN AND DISTRESS EMPLOYMENT: The Case of Beedi Workers

Book Details

• Author: Sachi Satapathy, Gagan Bihari Sahu, and Jagannath Mallick

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Language: English

• Edition: 2022

• ISBN: 9788131612439

• Pages: 176

• Cover: Hardcover

About the Book

This insightful book presents a detailed, evidence-based examination of the precarious employment conditions of home-based women beedi workers in India. It sheds light on their low wages, unsafe working environments, chronic health issues, systemic exploitation, and exclusion from social security schemes. Despite the demanding nature of their labor, these women receive negligible compensation, rendering their occupation barely sustainable.

Drawing upon field insights from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu—two of India's most significant beedi manufacturing states—the authors explore why women remain trapped in this cycle of labor. Key reasons include lack of marketable skills, minimal access to credit, insufficient vocational training, and the absence of viable alternative livelihoods.

The book not only serves as a vital reference for researchers and scholars studying labor economics, gender studies, and informal sector dynamics but also provides practical policy suggestions. It advocates for comprehensive reforms aimed at empowering beedi workers with education, alternative employment opportunities, and inclusive social protections.

Chapters Include:

1. Introduction

2. Situation of Women Beedi Workers in India: A Critical Review

3. Macro Analysis of India’s Beedi Industry: What Does It Indicate?

4. India’s Policy Mapping for Beedi Workers

5. Employment and Income Status from Beedi Rolling and Alternative Occupations

6. Emerging Issues and Probable Strategies for Beedi Workers

About the Authors

• Sachi Satapathy is Director of AF Development Care (AFDC), New Delhi. A seasoned development practitioner, he has worked extensively with bilateral and multilateral agencies on issues such as public health, poverty alleviation, and health-based public-private partnerships across developing nations.

• Gagan Bihari Sahu is Associate Professor at the Centre for Social Studies (CSS), Surat. His areas of expertise include agriculture, labor studies, tribal development, and food security. He has published widely in national and international journals.

• Jagannath Mallick is affiliated with the University of Hyogo, Japan, and has earlier worked with SBIL, ICRIER, ISID, and international institutions. With over 60 publications, his research focuses on macroeconomics, productivity, and employment.