Sneha Rani
Ranchi, May 1: Jharkhand’s Labour Minister Sanjay Prasad Yadav on Thursday pledged sweeping reforms to overhaul the state’s employment and labour welfare systems, as worker safety, outsourcing practices and migration came under growing scrutiny.
Yadav, who took office in December, accused the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of causing “structural damage” during its 18-year tenure, delaying progress on labour rights and economic opportunity.
“BJP has spoiled the system for 18 years, so it will take time to fix it,” Yadav told Bodhi Wire in a telephonic interview from Shirdi, Maharashtra. “The system will be streamlined within a year.”
The minister has launched a series of investor meetings to attract capital into the state’s MSME and labour-intensive sectors. “Investors are interested, but they want clarity in guidelines and logistical infrastructure,” he said.
The push for reform comes amid renewed concerns over hazardous working conditions, particularly in the energy and coal sectors. Ajay Rai, president of the Jharkhand Urja Vikas Shramik Sangh, said the situation on the ground remains dire.
“Labour situation in the state is pathetic,” Rai said. “A young worker recently died from an electric shock in Khunti while working on a pole — he had no safety equipment.”
Despite Supreme Court rulings mandating equal pay for equal work, outsourced and female workers in Jharkhand continue to face poor protections and low wages, Rai added. He also accused the state government of failing to deliver on a 2019 promise to regularise outsourced workers.
Rai further highlighted the recent kidnapping of five Jharkhand workers in Niger, calling for the establishment of a labour migration tracking agency to monitor the well-being of migrant workers and prevent trafficking.
Echoing those concerns, Hindu community leader Bhairav Singh called for stronger local hiring mandates and criticized the influx of cheaper labour from other Indian states and Bangladesh.
“Our local people are forced to migrate while coal mines and sand tenders go to MNCs who bring their own workforce,” Singh said.
He also urged a shift in language and perception: “The term ‘labour’ undermines dignity. They should be called ‘Vishwakarma’ — the creators.”
Singh warned that development in Jharkhand would remain elusive without decisive grassroots-level action. “Jharkhand will develop only when leaders stop delivering speeches and start delivering action.”
