11
VULNERABILITIES OF CHILD LABOUR MIGRANTS IN RURAL AREA OF DUNGARPUR
DISTRICT, RAJASTHAN
Savitri Patidar
Department of Geography, S.B.P. Government College, Dungarpur (Raj.), India
Email: savipatidar@gmail.com

How to cite this paper:
Patidar Savitri(2023)
Vulnerabilities ofChild
Labour Migrants in Rural
Area of Dungarpur District,Rajasthan,
Journalof
Global Resources, Vol. 09
(02)
DOI:
10.46587/JGR.2023.v09i02.011

Received: 30 April 2023
Reviewed: 25 May 2023
Final Accepted: 15 June 2023

Abstract: The intent of this study is to concentrate on therising rate of migration among tribal children in the Dungrpur
District. Migration of children for labour has been an
increasing cause of concern. Both primary and secondary
data have been used at the level of villages to highlight the
problem at hand. Migration, which accounts of 56 percent of
the aggregate income in this area, is the main source ofincomeforhouseholds.
Tribesandnon-tribe
people migrate from the district in search of employment
because it seems impoverished. In this paper looks at thecircumstances surrounding the migration of children into the
district's rural areas for work. Additionally, the locations of
migrants' final destinations, their working environments, andthe challenges that these migrants' children encounter with
their schooling were highlighted. Results from primary andsecondary sources comes out that in search of employment
in the BT cotton fields, brick manufacturing, construction,
hotels, Dhabas, and tea-stoles. Numerous individuals
physically and mentally harass them at their place of
employment. At destinations, these children become
extremely vulnerable. They experience numerous illnesses
as children and lose their childhood without any fun. Thisissue is so serious that the government wants to implement
some measures to stop this kind of migration in the
Dungarpur district.
Key words: Migration, Livelihood, Vulnerable, Mentally,
Physically, Destination, Childhood92

Introduction
In practically all of India's dry regions, child labour migration is a rapidly expanding
phenomenon. Every year, due to the drought and a lack of labour in the villages, entire families
must relocate for many months in search of employment in order to survive. [1]. Children movewith their parents, which causes a rise in dropout rates. [2]. Migrants comprise the mostvulnerable section of society, and especially those that belong to scheduled caste andscheduled tribe [3]. Due to the irregular rhythm of economic activity throughout the year, whichalternates between peak and slack periods, and the open-air nature of the production process,which necessitates a work to stop with the arrival of the monsoon, this type of labour mobility
is seasonal. [4]. This study focuses on the distress seasonal migration of children. Millions offamilies are being forced to leave their homes and villages for some months every year in
search of livelihoods. This Migration means that families are forced to dropout the schools,
something that close the only available opportunity to break the vicious cycle generation aftergeneration. Although there is no official data available on the sates of out migration Labourers,
but some NGOs and Gujarat labour Union reports estimates put the number of children
involved in these migrations may range between 40 and 60 lakes in India [6]. In the study area
child, labour migration is a great problem. The Dakshini Rajasthan Mazdoor Union (DRMU)
has prepared a separate report based on primary data on the number of children working on
BT cotton farms, which shows that out of 604 labourers 199 or 32.9 percent were children
below the age of fourteen years [7]. These children are to be found working in workshop andsmall factories, in Dhabas and restaurants, on the streets as well as domestic servants.
However, perhaps the largest sector in which children are to be found working is agriculture.
For a living, many youngsters migrate seasonally and annually to work in a variety of industries,
including BT cotton farms, brick factories, hotels, and domestic help. These youngsters misstwo or three months of school. The primary variable that drives people and their accompanying
children out of this area is the precariousness of the district.
These children appear to deal with a variety of vulnerabilities when they travel. Whilelabour migrants leave their hometowns or native locations, they become vulnerable during thetravel phase until they arrive at their destinations, facing the prospect of having to demonstrate
their own identity, health awareness, children's education, physical and mental abuse, wage
inequality, overtime, living conditions, limited access to entitlements, child and women's
exploitation, etc. Children feel helpless, insecure, and restless as a result of all these issues
they encounter while travelling. These children appear to deal with a variety of vulnerabilities
when they travel. While labour migrants leave their hometowns or native locations. This study
attempts to emphasis the vulnerabilities of child labour migrants as well as the various
dimensional concerns and factors that make them vulnerable at destinations considering all
the obstacles.
Background of the Study Area
Dungarpur district lies in the tribal belt of southern Rajasthan bordering the state of Gujarat. It
is a tribal dominant district where 67per cent populations belong from Scheduled tribe [8].
Administratively it divided into four tehsils and five blocks. Dungarpur, Aspur, Sagwara, andSimalwara are four tehsils. There are three main blocks from where migration is prevalent
Bichiwada, Simalwara and Sagwara [8]. According to the report by DRMU, the major sourceof household income in this area comes from migration which, account 56per cent of the total
income. Migration is the main source of livelihood in this Adivasi belt but estimate varies [7].
One study puts it as responsible for two fifth of the total household income. While drought
increase the incidence of migration this is no longer a drought include phenomenon. The
Adivasi belt of southern Rajasthan is the traditional catchment area for supply of manual93

labourers of Gujarat. Since the demand for manual labour is increasing, the catchment area is
expanding. As communication, networks improve and even remote villages become accessible
by road and socially migration is becoming a regular feature of rural economy in the district [9].
Migration is almost universal amongst tribal families in view of the total lack of local livelihood
opportunities.
Figure 01: Location Map of Study Area

Based on field survey it is cleared that Dungarpur is a backward district from
economically development as well as natural resources. Maximum land of the district isundulating and hilly. Per capita agriculture land is low and fellow-land is more. For thesereasons the interest of people towards agriculture is not more. By the lack of natural resources,
there is no industrial development at local level. All these reasons push people for migration
to survive. Both tribal and non-tribal people of the district are migrated. Adivasi migrate due tothe distress conditions and non-adivasi migrates to improve their livelihood opportunities. In
the south part of district, there are Panchmahal, Sabarkantha, and Banaskantha districts ofGujarat state. These districts are mainly producer of high breed BT cotton and groundnuts in(kharif) season. These agriculturally sound areas are to be net receiving state for migrantlabour, while the less developed states are the net sending once. Thus, due to the lack of good
opportunities at local place like unemployment, meet with low wages according to labour work,lack of natural resources, irregularity of monsoon, low land-holding size, lack of industrial andinfrastructure development people of this backward area migrates for livelihood.
Data and Methodology
Primary and secondary data used for this research work. Based on tehsils and population sizeof villages, there are 20 villages’ randomly selected. For child labour migrant’s data collection
parents interviewed, children Interview, school teachers, mates and Sarpanch interview havebeen conducted. For secondary data District Census Handbook (2011) and news from local
newspaper (Waged Dut, Dainik Bhaskar and Rajasthan Patrika) have been used to focus uponthis problem. The Dakshini Rajasthan Mazdoor Union (DRMU) report data has also been used
for introductory information.
Cycle of Migration and Destinations
Children migrates from this area in various months of the year. At first, stage the child migration
rampant in the month of July to September. Mostly these children go to do work in BT cotton
farms of North Gujarat district. In this cycle of migration children are alone go for work sites.
Most of them are below the age of fourteen years. These children have too much demand in
BT cotton farms because they are short and could easily cross-pollination the flowers without
having to bend too much. Their bodies were more flexible and they did not complain as much94

as adult, they argued. Labour contractors and Mates (Mediators) provide cash in advances topoor families in villages during the pre-monsoon months for kharif crops production, in returnfor which family member send their child for work in BT cotton farms. Mates and othercontractors take away them. These workforce returns in October, just before Diwali. According
to a report prepared by, Vice President of Gujarat Agricultural Labour Union (GALU) and theCampaign against Child Labour, approximately 150,000 children migrate every year fromsouthern Rajasthan districts (Udaipur, Banswara and Dungarpur) to work in BT cotton farms.
Most of these farms are concentrated in North Gujarat districts (A Report of children working
in cotton farms).
Second phase of migration started from November after Diwali, the worker migrates towork in brick kilns, to work at construction site and textile market also. They go in-group ofpeople. Children sometimes accompany parents and sometimes they are left behind withelders. This work continues until April when workers return home. This seasonal migration
cycle overlaps with six to seven months of the school calendar, which means that children whoare enrolled can go to school only two or three months of the year after which point, theyusually dropout schools. This phase of destination places of people and children are
Ahmadabad, Baroda, Surat, Vapi, Navsari and Gandhinagar most of these places are ofGujarat state.
Table: 01 Months of Migration and Destination Places
MonthsType of Work

1. July-August-September

BT. Cotton farms for crosspollination

2. November to March, April

Brick Kilns, Construction andTextile Market

3. Year Round(Usually for Four Months)

Hotels, Dhabas, Tea-Stoleand as Domestic worker

Destination Places
North Gujarat district(Sabarkantha, Banaskantha
and Panchmahal )Ahmadabad, Surat, Baroda,
Himmatnagar, Gandinagar,
Navsari, Vapi etc.
Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur,
Bhopal, Indore, Mandsore andGujarat cities also.

Source: Field Survey

The third cycle of migration is usually for four months around the year. This type of
migration is for work in tea stoles, hotels, Dhabas, factories and as well as a domestic servant.
Most of children migrate to Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Bhopal, Indore, Mandsore and Gujarat
state also. However, migrants usually work for 04 months at a stretch and then return for two
weeks. They often make back-up arrangements while they take break.
Vulnerabilities of Children at Working Places
By the field observations at working places of children it is found that the conditions of them at
migration places was not good. Table 02 expressed the various kind of vulnerabilities thatobserved in field. It shows that at working site, they were physically and mentally harassed bymates, honors, contractor as well as local people. They were facing many problems aboutliving conditions, food insecurity, fuel etc. At worksite, they were work for longer time or theywork extra but they were not pay proper wages of that extra work. They get-up early in themorning and went at BT cotton farms for cross-pollination without any breakfast. These farms
all sprayed with pesticides every eight days and the air is full of pesticides. For this reason,
they led to sickness and ill health. While the landlords (Patel) provided medical facilities, but
all the costs of treatment and medicines were cut from the wages of the workers. If a worker
died, then the landlords would ask the mates or other worker to take the body back to thevillage. He himself would not take any responsibility or pay any compensation. The mates did
not want to discuss the issue of health hazards or harassment in any detail, as they obviously95did not want to incur the wealth of landlords for whom they were recruiting labour. There aresome of sexual harassment cases also but it is very difficult to get much information, as theconcerned girls do not tell anyone and if the family knows they do not want to advertise thefact. Landlords (Patel), mates and contractor are especially involved in it. They are sexual
harasses very small girls in age group of 11-14 years. Children who work at hotels, Dhabas
and tea-stole as a domestic worker faces many problems. In hotels, they wash pots, cupplates, glasses etc. all the day so their hands and feet become numbed. After sometimes thesehands wounded up and skin disease started. At night these children not sleep well. They did
not give proper palaces for sleep and rest. They have to give very few salaries like 1500-2000
RS. per month. This amount is not sufficient for their survive. Worker who works at construction
site are also faces trouble. At the site, they work in very risky situation. If any accident goesaway then the contractor, do not help of any type. They live in slums area of cities in-group oftwenty to thirty.
Table: 02 Major Challenges Face by Migrants at Destinations#

Major Vulnerabilities
Confronts by Child
Migrants

1.

Regarding Wage Labour

2.

Psychological and Physical
Harassments by Employers

3.

4.

5.

6.

Regarding Health
Regarding Living
Conditions & Food
Insecurity
Regarding 3D Working
Condition
Socio-Cultural Problem

Concerning Problems
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Low Wage
Condition of Unpaid
Timely Not-paid
Sexual Abasement of female and Children
Assaults and substance abuses
Exploitative employers
Menial labour or slave labour
Affecting by incurable diseases (HIV, Cancer,
Tuberculosis, Bronchitis, Malaria, Dengu et.)
Limited Access of Health Entitlement
Unavailability of proper Sanitation
Unavailability of Pure Drinking Water
Unavailability of Residential facility
Unavailability of public distributed Facility (Ration)
Dirty
Dangerous
DifficultLanguage Barriers
Food Habits
Social exclusion and xenophobia of host area

Source: Field Observation

It is noted that the vulnerabilities highlighted in Table 02 are qualitative in nature andcannot be expressed in percentage terms. In that case, a few issues that are frequently seen
at construction sites are illustrated here. Overall, the surroundings at the locations where thesekids are migrating are bad. In a relatively short period of time, they encounter numerous
problems. These issues rob them of their youth and education. They do not enjoy childhood
the same way other kids do. At extremely young ages, several diseases, including lunginfections, fever, malaria, and other skin conditions, begin to manifest.
Schooling Issue in Dungarpur
In the Dungarpur district, education is a significant problem, and it appears that one of thecauses of child migration to work has led to failing schools. A study conducted by Sharda Jain
titled "Children's Work and Migration in the Context of Migration" claims that migration has
seriously impacted schooling in the southern districts of Rajasthan. Their attendance is so low
because cotton and share cropping are keeping the children away. A third of those who are96enrolled in school leave for the workforce. The issue of children's migration is not taken
seriously by the teachers themselves. The teachers do not try to keep the kid in class. Most
parents sent their extremely young children to school, according to the school teachers.
The older once were at work or did not come to school. The youngsters wereconsuming their midday meal. The teacher claimed that he had little time to focus on instructing
the students because he had to spend all his time overseeing them during lunch. The school
must be closed if a teacher needs to leave for a meeting. The task of constructing moreclassrooms now falls within the purview of the school teacher, who is also in charge ofacquiring building supplies under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). One thing that stood out
was that since these were all single-teacher schools, many of the classrooms were locked up,
and all the kids were studying in one room.
In the case study of Vagdari, there was just one teacher and 125 students in the primaryschool. He claimed that the Rozgar Guarantee has reduced child migration by 10 percent to20 percent and increased enrollment and retention in schools by 25 percent. [10]. Children's
education is impacted when they engage in cross-pollination work. They are re-admitted when
they return, but they have forgotten so much by then. They stay for perhaps a month before
leaving once more to work in brick kilns. Many of these kids must repeat the same subject atleast once, if not twice, and eventually drop out of school entirely since we are required by thegovernment to move them to the next class even though they cannot read or write. While theschool infrastructure in the villages was very good, there was a serious shortage of school
teachers. Trained teachers were also not willing to go to remote areas and therefore there wasunevenness in the distribution of teachers. School near the urban areas had a much higher
ratio of teachers to student than the remote tribal areas. This phenomenon is to be seen allover India.
Major Findings• Migrant child labour is a significant problem, with parents sending kids as young aseight years old to work in Gujarat's BT cotton fields. Many of these kids travel to workin an extremely dangerous setting for 10 to 12 hours a day with family members andfriends.
• Since there is no local employment during the lean months of July to September,parents are eager to increase their income through child labour. The scarcity of food is
not as acute after October, when the crop is harvested. The area experiences a lean
period from March to June; however, there is local casual employment available.
Additionally, they attested to NERAGA's success in reducing migration by 20–25
percent. Many migrant workers are between the ages of 15 and 40. But kids between
the ages of 10 and 12 are also moving abroad for two to three months to labour in BT
cotton fields. Additionally, they claimed that BT Cotton is moving to Rajasthan due tothe labour constraints in Gujarat and that there is BT cotton is shifting to Rajasthan andthere is shift in pattern of cultivation from wheat to BT cotton in the border villages.
• There is a scarcity of school instructors in Rajasthan. A total of 45,000 teachers havebeen sought but have not yet been hired.
• In most villages, children migrated along with their parents. There was no choice but
to go with the parents since there were no residential educational facilities.
• If there were employment prospects in the villages, no one would leave to work;
migration is the poor's final resort. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act(NAREGA), which was just passed and guarantees each household 100 days of97

guaranteed employment, has already had a significant impact on the prevalence ofchild Labour.
Recommendation• The district administration needs to have a panchayat-level database about every childin the area with a photograph and complete information about the family, including
details on whether the child is enrolled in school or not. Every child must be tracked by
the panchayat and the district administration to make sure they are attending school.
Every month, this information needs to be updated. The district administration can only
do that to guarantee that children stay in school and avoid leaving to go to work.
• Trained educators must be hired right away. Teachers who are willing to work in rural
locations may need additional incentives because there is virtually no infrastructure
there. Many people commute from their city homes. Since they commute from the citywhere they live to outlying schools where they are posted. They are not even eligible
for transit assistance because they are employed by rural schools despite reallyresiding in a town. It is unlikely that teachers will go to work in villages without accessto power or clean drinking water. Teachers who labour in far-off schools may need toreceive some extra compensation. These rewards may be related to student
achievement and retention.
• The only choice for the poor is migration because there are few employment
possibilities in the Dungarpur district and the rest of southern Rajasthan's tribal region.
Child labour would significantly decrease if an ashram school with residential amenities
could be established in this region.
• Like NAREGA, the Government has developed some new schemes for this area sopeople can receive employment at the local level twice a year.
• At the local level, the Government should create some small plants for employment
so that people cannot migrate.
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