Since its enactment in 2005, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) has been implemented in 200 districts in India. Based on state-by-state employment demand-supply data and the use of funds released under NREGA, it is found that, although it is a demand-driven scheme, there are...

In India, there is a debate about the possible extension of minimum wages to all wage-earners. Our paper provides some benchmark figures on the effects of either making the national minimum wage floor compulsory or extending the coverage of state-level minimum wages. Using the 2004-05...

Since its enactment in 2005, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) has been implemented in 200 districts in India. Based on state-by-state employment demand-supply data and the use of funds released under NREGA, it is found that, although it is a demand-driven scheme, there are...

The study examines the extent of gender and caste-based discrimination among the formally and informally employed in India using the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) Employment-Unemployment Survey (EUS) data for the four major rounds from 1999-00 to 2011-12. The study applies Oaxaca-Blinder...

What impact does minimum wage legislation have on wages and employment opportunities in an informal sector in a developing country? The paper answers this question in the context of minimum wage legislation for domestic workers in India over the period of 2004–2012. Combining, matching...

Using a novel data-set of district-wise program expenditure, we estimate the impact of large employment schemes on agricultural wages in India. Depending on the underlying theoretical mechanism, private wages can either respond to contemporaneous fluctuations in program expenditure or be...

The Government of India is leveraging wage policy as a part of overall fiscal policy actions to protect the income of the informal and migrant workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant lockdown measures. The statutory minimum wages through its redistributive mechanism and MGNREGS...

Routine childhood vaccinations are among the most cost-effective interventions. In recent years, the broader benefits of vaccines, which include improved cognitive and schooling outcomes, have also been established. This paper evaluates the long-term economic benefits of India's national program...

The paper explores the labor market effect of minimum wage legislations in the informal sector for a developing country. The paper conducts an impact evaluation of the minimum wage legislation for domestic workers introduced in four states in India over the period of 2004-2012. Combining...

In this paper, we undertake an evaluation of the laws governing wages in India, identify their shortcomings and offer suggestions for improvement. In doing so, we analyze the provisions in the relevant ILO Conventions and look at the laws and practice in selected developed and emerging...