Skill Challenge in Bengaluru's Garment Industry

Abstract

Karnataka's capital, Bengaluru, is one of the fastest growing garment-producing hubs in the country. Feminization in Bengaluru's garment industry began in the late 1980s, and the phenomenon has been explained in the chapter. There is also a gender-wage gap, with women being paid less for the same work designation as men. The chapter also highlights the skill gaps in the various skill development programs run by the Government of India. Recently, migrant workers from long distant states are drawn to Bengaluru's garment industry. These workers are mostly women who are skilled and recruited through the Government of India's program like Gram Tarang, which is sponsored under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushal Yojna (DDUGKY). The chapter documents the narratives of the city's garment workers. The chapter looks at the skill perspective from gender lens and compares it with the condition of the textile industry in the colonial period. Instances of informal employment industry in the industry have also been located, and linkages with skill development have been drawn.