That's what the planning commission's prescription of Rs.32/- per person per day amounts to. We saw several defences of this prescription. The defenders were using planning commission data, personal info on slalries they pay to maids etc.
The secretaries of the planning commission are by any standards a clever lot, and are quite aware of the ground realities. Why then would they make such comments, that too in a court of law. Moreover why would others defend them. To me it seems our bureaucrats and our middle class have lost touch with the other 80% of India. The one that carries the burden of the middle class on it's shoulders. They, or rather we have not only become inured to the exploitation, we now see any granting of rights to this underclass as an impediment to our profligate ways.
The average daily wage earner earns about Rs.100~150 a day in most urban areas. The lower limit is in city regions that are predominantly residential. The upper limit is in predominantly commercial regions of the city. Now a person from one locality can't just go to a commercial area and solicit work. He will face immediate opposition if not violence. He might be able to enter such a higher paying area if he has a close family member or friend / well wisher, sufficiently well connected in that area. None of them enjoy any perks like leave. So every day that is an holiday, means no wages. In many cases, the nature of work requires the worker to be at a designated place early. Any disruption in transpaort effectively kills his chances of work. Given our creaking infrastructure, it translates to atleast a days wage loss in a month on account of public holidays, another days loss for transport breakdown, 4 sundays, and for a substantial number reduced opportunity on Saturdays. That makes 6.5 days of no wage in a month. Thus monthly wage is between Rs.2350/- `3525/-. Rs.78.33/- per day at the lower end.
But that is not the end of the story. Every family member has to pull their weight. So the wife works too. As do the kids at the innumerable roadside joints. The women earn approx the same as the men but put in longer hours - 12 hours, not counting their own house work - mainly as domestic help. The kids earn about 30 to 45% of the minimum figure. A family of 4 thus earns Rs.5700/- pm. or Rs.47.5 a day per head.
Is this money sufficient. Absolutely not. The first casualty is children education. Next is health of the women. And god forbid that some ill luck befalls any of them.
It is a very hard run to stay in the same place.
The secretaries of the planning commission are by any standards a clever lot, and are quite aware of the ground realities. Why then would they make such comments, that too in a court of law. Moreover why would others defend them. To me it seems our bureaucrats and our middle class have lost touch with the other 80% of India. The one that carries the burden of the middle class on it's shoulders. They, or rather we have not only become inured to the exploitation, we now see any granting of rights to this underclass as an impediment to our profligate ways.
The average daily wage earner earns about Rs.100~150 a day in most urban areas. The lower limit is in city regions that are predominantly residential. The upper limit is in predominantly commercial regions of the city. Now a person from one locality can't just go to a commercial area and solicit work. He will face immediate opposition if not violence. He might be able to enter such a higher paying area if he has a close family member or friend / well wisher, sufficiently well connected in that area. None of them enjoy any perks like leave. So every day that is an holiday, means no wages. In many cases, the nature of work requires the worker to be at a designated place early. Any disruption in transpaort effectively kills his chances of work. Given our creaking infrastructure, it translates to atleast a days wage loss in a month on account of public holidays, another days loss for transport breakdown, 4 sundays, and for a substantial number reduced opportunity on Saturdays. That makes 6.5 days of no wage in a month. Thus monthly wage is between Rs.2350/- `3525/-. Rs.78.33/- per day at the lower end.
But that is not the end of the story. Every family member has to pull their weight. So the wife works too. As do the kids at the innumerable roadside joints. The women earn approx the same as the men but put in longer hours - 12 hours, not counting their own house work - mainly as domestic help. The kids earn about 30 to 45% of the minimum figure. A family of 4 thus earns Rs.5700/- pm. or Rs.47.5 a day per head.
Is this money sufficient. Absolutely not. The first casualty is children education. Next is health of the women. And god forbid that some ill luck befalls any of them.
It is a very hard run to stay in the same place.
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