This fact sheet provides results from a survey completed in Nagaland in 2019 with 81 domestic workers.
Food relief for migrant workers was provided, and ANDWU (All Nagaland Domestic Workers Union) submitted 1600 names, although only 600 workers ultimately received the relief. In addition to this most domestic workers did receive the extra food rations provided through the Public Distribution System (PDS), and some received the Rs 500 on offer through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY). Again, ANDWU played a key role here by helping workers to open the zero balance bank accounts necessary to receive the relief through PMJDY.
Policy context
Nagaland is granted Special Status by Article 371 which means that the laws that govern the rest of India are diluted against the customary laws that govern the Naga tribal population. Nagaland’s special constitutional status means that it is supposed to only contribute 10 percent to all central schemes and programmes, with 90 percent coming from the centre. However, the depressed economic situation makes it a challenge for the state to even reach this 10 percent contribution. As a result, most central schemes and programmes remain underfunded resulting in low coverage. This makes progress at the policy level difficult, and as a result domestic workers continue to be excluded from the schedule of employment, meaning that there is no specified minimum wage. Moreover, society in general does not regard them as real workers, which makes the push for more policy change even more challenging.
