At Work In Kashmir (Being A Migrant Worker In The Valley), Pg19

Key Highlights:

• Migrant workers in Kashmir face increased security concerns and restrictions following recent terrorist attacks, including the killing of two brick kiln workers in Kulgam.
• Police have imposed strict security protocols, advising non-local workers to return to their rooms by 8 pm and avoid venturing out.
• An estimated four lakh non-Kashmiris work in the Kashmir Valley, drawn by better wages and lower cost of living compared to their home states.
• Kashmir's economy, particularly sectors like construction and brick kilns, is heavily dependent on this migrant workforce.
• Attacks on migrant workers have increased significantly since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, with over 20 killed and 20 injured.

Detailed Insights:

• Migrant workers, primarily from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, and Assam, migrate to Kashmir annually as snow melts.
• The new restrictions impact their ability to work long hours, affecting their earnings and savings for families back home.
• Land reforms in J&K in the 1970s contributed to a largely uniform economic class, reducing local availability for labor-intensive jobs.
• Kashmiris often prefer government service over manual labor, leading to a demand for external workers in various sectors.
• Unskilled workers earn around Rs 700 daily, while skilled workers earn Rs 900-1,000, significantly higher than wages in their home states.
• The relatively lower cost of living in Kashmir, including affordable rents and no water billing, makes it an attractive destination for migrants.
• Many migrant families, especially in brick kilns, work together to maximize their earnings, with children often present at worksites.
• Despite past turbulences like the 2008 Amarnath land row agitation, 2010 street protests, 2014 floods, and 2016 protests, many workers felt safe until recent years.
• The post-2019 increase in targeted attacks has instilled fear, but economic desperation often compels workers to return.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Migrant Workers: Individuals who move from one region to another, often across state borders, for employment opportunities.
• Land Reforms: Government-initiated programs to redistribute land, often from large landowners to landless farmers, impacting agricultural labor dynamics.
• Abrogation of Article 370: The constitutional order in August 2019 that revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, integrating it more fully with India.