3 weeks ago

Tamil Nadu urged to support women guest workers beyond factories

Many women from other parts of India move to Tamil Nadu to work in factories that make clothes, electronics, cars and other goods.

They come because there are many jobs and because the state is considered safer for women.

But having a job is only part of the story.

These workers also need safe places to live, safe ways to travel to work, and places where they can leave their young children while they work.

Some women feel worried about traveling late at night for evening shifts.

Experts say women should also get chances to become supervisors and managers, not just stay in assembly-line jobs.

Industries minister S. Keerthana says factory areas need proper facilities, not just land and buildings.

If these things improve, more women will stay in their jobs, which helps both families and the state's economy.

Key facts

State: Tamil Nadu, India
Key manufacturing sectors: Textiles, garments, electronics, footwear, engineering and automobiles
Industrial clusters: Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Krishnagiri, Sriperumbudur, Oragadam and Hosur
Key legislation: Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998
National ambition: India to become a developed nation by 2047
Reported safety record: Crime rate against women many times lower than the national average (per former DGP R. Sekar)
Key challenge: Shortages of affordable accommodation in industrial clusters that depend heavily on guest workers
Future opportunity: Rapid expansion of electronics and electric vehicle manufacturing, requiring continuous upskilling

deccanchronicle.com · 3 weeks ago