Employment and wage discrimination in agricultural households: A study in Bihar and West Bengal Das Panchanan* Professor, Department of Economics, University of Calcutta, West Bengal, India *Email id: panchanandaswbes@gmail.com
Online published on 22 March, 2024. Abstract Discrimination is ethically objectionable because it arises from factors beyond an individual’s control. This study quantifies discrimination in employment and wages among workers of various types originating from agricultural households in Bihar and West Bengal. It analyzes the relative roles of gender, caste, and religion in total discrimination during the high-growth regime under neoliberal reforms. Discrimination is defined in terms of the inequality of opportunity in securing high-quality jobs and fair wages. A significant transformation occurs in the distribution of workers over time, considering gender, caste, and religious factors in agricultural families in these states, leading to profound implications for employment and wage discrimination. The incidence of the proletarization of agriculture is notably higher in West Bengal, despite the state’s implementation of tenancy reforms, such as Operation Barga, over four decades ago. Employment discrimination among wage workers from self-employed agricultural families is more pronounced in Bihar than in West Bengal and the entire country. Caste differences contribute more to job discrimination in Bihar, aligning with the national pattern, while gender-based employment discrimination is significantly higher in West Bengal. Wage discrimination is notably higher among regularly paid workers than casual workers, and this disparity is particularly pronounced in Bihar. Top Keywords Discrimination, Income inequality, India. Top |