Earning Challenges in Arunachal Pradesh: An Informal Sector Perspective.

The limited economic development in Arunachal Pradesh has resulted in high unemployment rates, especially among youth, due to a lack of industrialization and job prospects. The state heavily relies on government jobs, which are now nearly saturated, while the informal sector, mainly supported by migrant workers from neighbouring states, remains a crucial employment source. This study examines the urban informal sector in Arunachal Pradesh using primary data from 450 workers across seven urban areas in East Siang and Papumpare districts. It explores contractual relationships, employment types, and earnings quality to reveal the socio-economic characteristics of these workers. Gender dynamics highlight the need for gender-sensitive policies, and migration patterns reveal economic drivers of rural-urban migration. The study also underscores workforce vulnerability through educational attainment levels, indicating a need for skill development. Employment nature aligns with Lewis’s dualism theory, emphasizing self-employment. Payment methods, mainly monthly, show the sector’s adaptability but also irregular income challenges. Analysis of working hours reveals the labour-intensive nature of informal sector jobs, impacting worker well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]