Female Labour In Unorganised Sector Of Andhra Pradesh-An Empirical Analysis

The unorganized sector is most prominent in Indian economy and a significant contribution of it incomes in the economy. The presence of unorganized workforce is very much there in each sectors of the economy. Such is the strength of the sector but ironically, their contributions are never added to GDP growth of the country. The unorganized sector is considered biggest sector in the Indian subcontinent as most of the skilled as well as unskilled workforces are working in these sectors in various capacities. The rural workforce is often working in household works where most of the time the nature of job is voluntary and they are not adequately compensated. This has led to low income opportunity, low productivity and high rate of poverty. The rate of migration is high and these people travel all the way to urban locations for better job opportunities and economic well-being. The poverty, unemployment or under-employment and migration are some of the important features of unorganized sector. The most of the employers in both unorganized and organized sectors started giving focus on contractual employees as it has less liability as compared to full time employees. Such is the trend that various organized sectors like transport, storage, construction and even in retail and wholesale, people are started engaging unorganized workforce as some of the jobs do not need specific skills. The female labour engaged in unorganized work are facing serious problems including poverty, health hazard, family problems, poor housing facilities, insufficient nutritious food, unhygienic environment, illiteracy, physical stress and debts. Very few studies are conducted on unorganized female labourers who are facing many problems at work. The female labour in unorganized sectors in are facing many problems such as unemployment, low wages, and irregular payment of wages, non-availability of social security and welfare facilities, poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, sickness, low wages and irregular payment of wages and exploitative working conditions. Their socio-economic and health conditions are really terrible. This study is an attempt to assess the socio-economic status and problems faced by unorganized female labourers in Andhra Pradesh. The objectives are to examine the socio-economic conditions of female labourers in unorganized sector and to observe the income, expenditure, saving, debt and problems unorganized female labourers in Andhra Pradesh. The present study used both primary data and secondary data for the analysis according to the objectives set in the study. The multi stage random sampling method will be adopted for present research study. Andhra Pradesh has purposively selected for the study. Physiographically, the State of Andhra Pradesh is broadly divided into three regions viz. Coastal Andhra, Uttara Andhra and Rayalaseema. In the first stage the districts were selected, in second stage revenue divisions were selected, in third stage mandals were selected and fourth stage the villages selected in the study area. In each village 10 per cent of the households are selected of the study. The random sampling procedure is used for the selection of households. A well-structured schedule was canvassed among the female labourers respondents and interview method was adopted to record their responses relating to the socio-economic conditions of female labourers, their income, employment, unemployment, wages and problems of female labourers in unorganised sector. The unorganised female labours are selected only agricultural labour, beedi labour, domestic labour, construction labourers and rural industries labour. The working condition, employment structure and problems of female unorganized labour and end with remedies to overcome from the problems. The problems of female unorganized labour such as insecurity of job, irregularity in payments, low wage rate, long hours of work, poverty and indebtedness, occupational hazards and health conditions, absence of social security measures, insecurity arising out of illness, loss of income arising out of accident, lack of old age security, lack of employer-employees relationship and wage discrimination are the major issues being faced by the female unorganized labour in Andhra Pradesh. These problems can be addressed by applied suggested measures such as effective implementation of all labour laws to the female unorganized labour in the study area.