Ashwini Kumar Shukla

Sarbajaya Bhattacharya

Editor

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At 7 a.m., Sadiq Manzil Chowk in
Daltonganj town is already bustling with activity – trucks are roaring by,
shops are pulling up shutters and the distant sound of a recorded Hanuman Chalisa can be heard coming from
a temple nearby.



Sitting on the steps of a shop,
Rishi Mishra is smoking a cigarette and speaking aloud to people around him.
Their discussion this morning centres around the recently concluded General
Elections and the formation of the new government. Listening to those around
him argue, Nazaruddin Ahmed, who has been rubbing tobacco in his palms finally
intervenes, saying, “why are you arguing? No matter who forms the government,
we still have to earn our living.” 



Rishi and Nazaruddin are among the several daily
wage labourers who gather every morning in the area also known as ‘labour
chowk’. There is no work in the villages around Palamu, they say. Roughly 25-30
labourers are waiting for daily wage work at the labour chowk (junction) here
at Sadiq Manzil, one of five such chowks in town where people from nearby
villages in Jharkhand assemble every morning, looking for work.

“Wait till eight o’clock. There will
be so many people here that there won’t be space to stand,” says Rishi,
checking the time on his mobile phone. 



Rishi completed his ITI training in
2014 and can operate a drilling machine, a job he is hoping to get today. “We
voted for this government hoping for jobs. [Narendra] Modi has been in power
for 10 years. How many vacancies have been announced and how many jobs have
been given?” asks the 28-year-old from Singraha Kalan village. “If this
government stays for another five years, we have no hope.” 



Nazaruddin, 45, feels the same way.
The mason from Neura village is the single earning member in his family of
seven. “Who cares about the poor and the farmers?” Nazaruddin asks. “Every day,
500 people come here. Only 10 will get work, the rest will go home
empty-handed.”

The conversation is interrupted by
the arrival of a man on a motorbike. The men rush and crowd around him, hoping
to get work for the day. After determining the wage, a young man is selected.
The bike speeds off with him riding pillion. 




Rishi and his fellow labourers
return to their spots. “Look at the tamasha
[circus]. One comes, and everybody jumps,” says Rishi, forcing a smile. 



Sitting back down, he says, “whoever
forms the government, it should benefit the poor. Mehengai [inflation] should come down. Will building a temple fill
the stomachs of the poor?”

Daily wage workers: future unknown

پلامو کے یومیہ مزدوروں کا غیر یقینی مستقبل

భవిష్యత్ తెలియని దినసరి కూలీలు

தினக்கூலி தொழிலாளர்களும், புலப்படாத எதிர்காலமும்

ਅਧਵਾਟੇ ਲਮਕਿਆ ਦਿਹਾੜੀਦਾਰਾਂ ਦਾ ਭਵਿੱਖ

ଦିନ ମଜୁରିଆଙ୍କ ଭବିଷ୍ୟତ ଅନ୍ଧାର

रोजंदारीवरच्या श्रमिकांचं भविष्य अंधारात

ഭാവി അനിശ്ചിതത്വത്തിലായ ദിവസക്കൂലിത്തൊഴിലാളികൾ

ದಿನಗೂಲಿ ನೌಕರರು: ಇವರ ಬದುಕಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಅನಿಶ್ಚಿತ ಭವಿಷ್ಯವೊಂದೇ ನಿಶ್ಚಿತ

દહાડી મજૂરનું અંધરકામય ભવિષ્ય

‘काय मंदिर बनाय ले गरीब के पेट भर जाही?’

পালামৌ: অনিশ্চিত আগামীর মুখে দিনমজুররা

দিনহাজিৰা কৰা মানুহৰ ভৱিষ্যত

दिहाड़ी कामगारन के अनजान भविष्य

अधर में लटका दिहाड़ी मज़दूरों का भविष्य

Mahotola, Medininagar(Daltonganj), Palamu District, Jharkhand, India

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Daily wage workers: future unknown

In Jharkhand, it’s the morning after the results of the General Elections were declared on June 4, 2024. But in Daltonganj’s labour market, workers say the scarcity of jobs is not going away

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