On The Contrary | Episode 2: Productivity vs Poverty

Manish Sabharwal, Chairperson and Co-founder of Teamlease argues that in order to compete in a global economy, India needs greater productivity and formal employment. Renana Jhabvala, best known for her long association with SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association) where she organised women into trade unions, argues the opposite. India’s informal economy is large and here to stay, and our labour laws must accommodate informal workers.

Highlights –
• 0:00 Quotes from Renana and Manish
• 1:45 Overview
• 02:13 Introduction: Manish Sabharwal
• 02:34 Introduction: Renana Jhabvala
• 4:24 Is the the informal sector with its many small enterprises, an impeding factor for the Indian economy?
• 06:46 What is the role of the informal economy in the context of India?
• 09:34 Why is the informal sector is essential in an economy?
• 15:31 Why are we not focusing on 'ease of doing business' for smaller enterprises?
• 18:40 Why policymakers and the economists who advise them need to listen to informal sector workers and enterprises.
• 24:00 What is the main reform needed in our labour laws?

The episode was produced by Maed in India.