How TN’s women are changing the manufacturing landscape
Many moons back, Saranya was a computer science teacher in a private school in Tiruppur. Her children were toddlers and she recalls her usual workdays, which began at eight in the morning.
She says she used to be quite worn out by the end of the day and the meagre salary she earned did not make things better. That was when she took a call to quit and join a textile factory nearby. Her work hours remain similar, but she says it is less laborious and pays better.
About 300 kilometre away, in Tirunelveli’s Gangaikondan lives Rageena. She is 33 and has been working as a machine operator in Bosch India’s plant since 2015. “At that time, I had two young children and to run a family, we needed income. That’s how I joined the plant.”
She recalls how it was one of the best decisions she made, which significantly improved her family’s finances. On the shop floor, 80% of the workforce is female, she says.
Minuscule portion
Saranya and Rageena form a minuscule portion of Tamil Nadu’s 6.26 lakhstrong women factory workforce. The Centre’s Annual Survey of Industries 202122, released a month ago, shows in that period, 42% of the country’s total women factory workforce was employed in Tamil Nadu. Karnataka secured the second position, albeit with a considerable gap, hosting a mere 14% of the female workers.
In Tamil Nadu, 37.5% of the total factory workforce is female. businessline also accessed the archived data from the last two decades analysed by Jaganth, a former policy consultant with the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission, which showed more than 35% of India’s factory workforce came from the
State every financial year since 20002001.
“In terms of providing a conducive policy environment, Tamil Nadu was the first State in India to introduce the third shift for women in the manufacturing sector,” said Anil Kumar M. R., President and MD, SEG Automative India. “Many other Indian States followed suit. We execute third shift for women with utmost care for safety where women will be picked from and dropped back to their residences. This pioneering move by the State helped in opening up the avenue for women to participate in manufacturing activities and we can expect to see women’s participation go up in the coming years.” He added the firm’s plant in Hosur has more than 70% women in the workforce.
“By ensuring access to quality education and vocational training, especially for rural women, we’ve enabled women to excel in various manufacturing roles traditionally dominated by men,” said T. R. B. Rajaa, T.N. Minister for Industries, Investment Promotion and Commerce.
He said the State had been proactive in ensuring safe and conducive work environment for women. Latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau shows the State had one of the lowest crime rates against women.
In Tiruppur, where Krishnan operates, the substantial presence of female workers in factories may not strike him as particularly surprising. It has been nearly a decade since he took over his familyowned elastic making unit.
He has spent all of his threedecade existence in Tiruppur and says throughout his growing up years, he had always seen women work in the unit.
“Currently, around half of our bluecollar workforce comprises women,” he says, adding, “This is the case in the neighbouring factories too.”
However, Krishnan, who uses a pseudonym to protect his identity admits the women workforce is paid less than how much men are paid. He says this is a norm followed throughout the sector. Saranya agrees, but seems to have made peace with the fact. “They do get paid more than us. But many times, I have observed my male colleagues pick up extra shifts. Unfortunately, this is something most women cannot afford to do.”
(The writer is with The Hindu businessline)