TEAM



Burden of Proof

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 The construction sector is a critical driver of India's economic development, and the second-largest source of employment. It engages 71 million workers and contributes 18% to the GDP. By 2030, the construction sector is projected to employ over 100 million Indians, providing jobs to millions migrating from rural areas.. 

Ninety seven percent of construction workers lack formal contracts, and only 2.5% receive social security benefits. To address this widespread informality of the sector, India has special policy provisions to protect construction workers. Each of the 29 Indian states is required by law to establish welfare boards providing workers social welfare like health insurance, child care, and compensation for injuries. During the Covid-19 lockdowns, the Indian government directed these welfare boards to initiate cash transfers to the 35 million registered construction workers. Only half ended up receiving any transfers. 









To ensure that each construction worker in Gujarat received 4000 rupees (USD 48), on par with construction workers in other states, SEWA approached the Gujarat High Court. The unforgiving tedium of procedure, the oppressive indifference of bureaucracy, and the enormity of the struggles the poor have to mount to fight for the pittance that is in fact rightfully theirs, are encapsulated in the several hundred page affidavit reproduced here. 

The earthen pots known as gullaks or gullas, are traditional piggy banks of the poor in western India. The meager amounts of money they hold can only be accessed by breaking them, just as the astronomical wealth generated by real estate is built on the broken backs of ill-paid construction workers. The construction industry in India is expected to reach 1.4 trillion dollars in 2025. 



















Kartikeya Bhatotia (Research)
Hiteshree Das (Design)