Delhi's 90 per cent unorganised workers are bonded: report

New Delhi, May 05 (UNI) Ninety per cent of the over three million unorganised workers of Delhi are bonded labourers, the Bandhua Mukti Morcha informed Delhi government today, seeking steps to strictly implement laws for their wages and welfare.

In a 100-page report, the NGO said 90 per cent of the 18,000 workers surveyed did not receive the minimum wage and thus lived in bondage to their employers.

Neither minimum wages nor the provisions of the Inter-State Migrant Workmen's Act, 1979 -- with benefits such as half-monthly salary and money to travel home once a year -- were being given to workers, the report pointed out.

It suggested the strict implementation of the minimum wage act, the Inter-State Migrant Workmen's Act and the Construction Labour Welfare Act, 1996, besides steps to organise the unorganised labour workforce and measures to create awareness about their rights.

Bandhua Mukti Morcha leader Swami Agnivesh and Dr Prem Bakukhandi, who coordinated the study, presented the report to Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at the Secretariat.

Labour Minister Mangat Ram Sharma, the state labour secretary and divisional commissioner Narendra Kumar were also present on the occasion.

The governmment had commissioned the study last November to find out the condition of 35 lakh workers in the unorganised sector in the capital.

UNI VN PM RS1908