Working hours are limited by law to 48 per week for adults. Factory employment of children under fourteen years of age is prohibited, even though the government estimates the existence of eleven to fifty-five million child laborers, many of them working in the hand-knotted carpet industry. By law, earned income also includes a cost-of-living allowance and an annual bonus (applicable to factories and all other establishments withPage 260 | Top of Articleat least twenty employees). In 2002, an estimated thirty million workers belonged to unions.

In 2003, about 54% of the land area was arable. Agriculture employs about 60% of India's population and contributes about 25% to the gross domestic product. Rice is the leading crop. In 1999, about 131.2 million tons of rice was produced. The wheat crop that year totaled about 70.8 million tons. Oilseed production in 2000–01 included 4.9 million tons of cottonseed and 3.73 million tons of rapeseed (canola). Nonfood crops are mainly linseed, cotton, jute, and tobacco. The cotton crop in 2000 was 10.9 million bales.