This fact sheet provides results from a survey completed in Madhya Pradesh (Indore) in 2019 with 101 domestic workers.
As was the case across India, domestic workers in the state have experienced widespread loss of employment and food insecurity. In response to the restrictive health measures put in place in 2020, relief was made available through an additional month’s food ration through the PDS. Besides this there has been no specific relief measures aimed at supporting domestic workers.
Policy context
Madhya Pradesh (MP) is a mainly agrarian state and it is one of the poorest states of India. The state is behind most of the southern states in India in terms of recognizing domestic workers as ‘workers’ or in instituting laws on social protection and security for the domestic workers.
The Central Government’s Unorganized Sector Workers Social Security Act 2008 directs the respective states to formulate schemes and policies for the welfare of unorganized sector workers and to set up boards for the purpose of monitoring and implementation of various schemes so formed. MP has passed a scheme for the welfare of unorganized sector workers, but the board does not have representation from civil society, and neither does it have the mandate to implement or monitor welfare schemes which should cover health, accident, general insurance, maternity benefits and old age pension.
