Kerala's Informal Labour Market Interventions

Labour-intensive growth is often advocated as a means for both poverty reduction (through employment provision) and economic growth (through labour-intensive enterprises). However, the implicit notion that well-being of individuals and households will be enhanced through the gaining of employment is too often assumed rather than established. This paper provides an opportunity for a closer examination of the pathways from work to well-being through a case study of the headloaders sector of the informal labour market in Kerala.