{"id":90127,"date":"2026-02-26T17:56:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=90127"},"modified":"2026-02-26T17:56:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:26:19","slug":"right-to-livelihood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/right-to-livelihood\/","title":{"rendered":"Right to Livelihood, Constitutional Basis, Case Laws, Initiatives"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Right to Livelihood<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is one of the most essential human rights because it ensures that every individual has the opportunity to earn a living with dignity. Without livelihood, survival becomes difficult, and other fundamental rights lose their real meaning. In India, although the Constitution does not explicitly mention the term \u201cRight to Livelihood\u201d as a separate fundamental right, it has been interpreted as an integral part of the <\/span><b>Constitution of India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, particularly under Article 21.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Right to Livelihood Constitutional Basis<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Right to Livelihood is not explicitly mentioned as a separate <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/fundamental-rights\/\" target=\"_blank\">Fundamental Right<\/a><\/strong> in the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/indian-constitution\/\" target=\"_blank\">Constitution of India<\/a><\/strong>, but it has been judicially interpreted as an integral part of Article 21 (Right to Life).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Article 21 \u2013 Right to Life and Personal Liberty<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guarantees that no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/supreme-court-of-india\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Supreme Court of India<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> expanded its scope to include the Right to Livelihood as essential for living with dignity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Established in the landmark case of <\/span><b>Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation (1985)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Article 39(a) \u2013 Directive Principles of State Policy<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Directs the State to ensure that citizens have adequate means of livelihood.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Promotes economic justice and equal opportunity in earning.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Article 41 \u2013 Right to Work<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provides that the State shall, within its economic capacity, secure the right to work, education, and public assistance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Forms the constitutional basis for employment guarantee schemes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Article 43 \u2013 Living Wage<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Directs the State to secure a living wage and decent working conditions for workers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aims at ensuring dignity and economic security for labourers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Article 14 \u2013 Right to Equality<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensures equality before law and equal protection of laws.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prevents arbitrary deprivation of livelihood.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Article 19(1)(g) \u2013 Freedom of Profession, Occupation, Trade or Business<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grants citizens the right to practice any profession or carry on any lawful occupation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Subject to reasonable restrictions in the interest of public order, morality, and health.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Right to Livelihood Case Laws<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The important case laws related to Right to Livelihood under <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/right-to-die-with-dignity\/\" target=\"_blank\">Article 21 of Indian<\/a><\/strong> Constituion is discussed below:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><b> People\u2019s Union for Democratic Rights v. Union of India (1982): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This case dealt with the exploitation of construction workers during the Asian Games projects. The issue involved non-payment of minimum wages. The Supreme Court held that non-payment of minimum wages amounts to forced labour under Article 23. It emphasized that fair wages are essential for livelihood and dignity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b> Bandhua Mukti Morcha v. Union of India (1984):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This case focused on the plight of bonded labourers working in inhuman conditions. The petition sought enforcement of their fundamental rights. The Court ruled that bonded labour violates Articles 21 and 23. It directed the government to identify, release, and rehabilitate bonded labourers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b> M.C. Mehta v. Union of India (1987): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This case arose from the Oleum Gas Leak in Delhi, which affected workers and residents. It raised questions about industrial safety and liability. The Supreme Court evolved the principle of Absolute Liability for hazardous industries. It held that industries must compensate victims whose health and livelihood are affected.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b> State of Maharashtra v. Chandrabhan Tale (1983): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This case challenged the payment of a nominal subsistence allowance to suspended employees. The issue was whether such low payment violated fundamental rights. The Court held that paying an extremely low subsistence allowance violates Article 21. It stated that livelihood cannot be reduced to mere survival.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><b>Government Initiatives Supporting Right to Livelihood<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Indian government has introduced various schemes to promote employment and livelihood security, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Viksit Bharat &#8211; Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; Guarantees 125 days of wage employment to rural households.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/national-food-security-mission\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>National Food Security Act<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2013\u2013 Provides food security to vulnerable populations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Skill development programs under <\/span><b>Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Self-employment and startup promotion schemes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Right to Livelihood in India is part of Article 21, ensuring dignified living, fair wages and work opportunities, supported by key Supreme Court judgments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":89928,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[5568,5753],"class_list":{"0":"post-90127","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-studies","8":"tag-fundamental-rights","9":"tag-right-to-livelihood","10":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90127"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90127\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":90130,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90127\/revisions\/90130"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89928"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}