Beedi Workers in Jangipur Subdivision of Murshidabad District (1990-2020): A Historical Analysis

Jangipur sub-division of Murshidabad district is a major hub of beedi industry in West Bengal and also in India. In Jangipur sub-division about seventy (70) percent of the workers involved in the Beedi industry are women and children. Major Beedi factories in the state are located in Aurangabad and Dhuliyan areas of Jangipur sub-division and this area is home to the largest number of beedi workers. They have various problems related to wages, job security, and health issues. Due to the production of tobacco products, the number of diseases among workers in this region is high. School dropouts are high among children as they are engaged in beedi production from an early age. The workers are duped in various ways by the Munsis and beedi companies. As most of the workers are unorganized and poverty is a constant companion of the people in this region and there are no major industries in this district, the economic base of this region is dependent on beedi industry; they cannot voice their demands for fear of losing their jobs. The State and Central Government have various developmental schemes for the workers but these schemes reach them with very few benefits.