Video Editor: Vishal Kumar, Mohd Irshad Alam
“I have been making bidis since 50-55 years yet our poverty just doesn't end,” said 70-year-old Nanhi Baai and went back to rolling bidis that helps her earn a meagre Rs 30 every day. Smoking is injurious to health but the health, condition and financial state of those in the bidi trade are worse.
Assembly elections will be held in Madhya Pradesh on 28 November. Our poll yatra has reached Sagar. Kakaganj in MP’s Sagar ranks among the highest bidi producing hubs in the country. One can find women rolling bidis outside every other house. From the owners of the bidi factories to workers, there is widespread anger against the govt.
17-year-old Janki Gawri dropped out of school after the 8th standard for lack of finances.
Bidis that are sold under big brands are rolled in these households. Bidi companies give contracts to traders who provide the women folk with raw material for bidis. The women then roll the bidis and give them back to the traders who then deliver the bidis back to the companies. The companies then package the bidis under their brands and release them in the markets.
The partnership between the traders and the companies is to blame for these women getting paid so poorly. Since the companies don’t directly deal with the workers, they are forced to roll bidis at nominal rates. Also, they blame the govt’s indifference for their condition.
In order to get a clearer picture on the condition of the bidi trade, The Quint visited the Pradeep Kumar-Sanjay Kumar bidi company. The owner of the company Tika Ram was enraged when we asked him about the state of the bidi trade.
When we asked the owner of another bidi company on whether GST will impact the poll results, he said it definitely will.
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