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CHAPTER IV
OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURE
The occupation of an individual refers to his trade or profession
or type of work. The occupational structure of a community is the
product of various socio-spatial and economic factors (Ramotra, 2008).
In this chapter the focus is made on the occupation structure and
economic sources of tribal population of the state of Maharashtra. It is
to understand the nature of work they are pursuing. In case of tribals,
most of their work force is engaged in primary sector, particularly in
agriculture sector. Agriculture sector consists of cultivators and
agriculture labours, which is a part of primary sector where as the
primary sector incorporates cultivators, agriculture labours, workers in
forestry, fishing and allied activities and lastly mining quarrying
activities. Are mostly even today engaged in the primitive primary
activities tribal and hardly a few settled in rural areas perusing
cultivation of crops with bit advance techniques.
1. Primary Sector-1991
It is observed that, the 78.64 per cent tribal workers are pursuing
there work in the agricultural sector and the remaining 21.3656 per
cent in non-agricultural sector. In about 5 districts the percentage in
agriculture was 50 to 70 per cent. Mumbai is the only district in the
state of Maharashtra where 10.68 per cent workers were in the
primary sector, which is lowest in the state; it is but natural because,
being 100 per cent urban. In Satara and Ratnagiri more than 70 per
cent tribal workers were in primary sector. In as many as 12 districts
the proportion was 80 to 90 per cent in the remaining districts. It was
above 90 per cent in Akola, Jalgaon, Ahmadnagar, Yavatmal, Nanded,
Nashik, Parbhani, Buldhana, Gadchiroli and Dhule districts. In about
17 districts the proportion of agricultural workers in primary sector
77
was less than the average and in the remaining 13 districts; their
proportion in primary sector was above the average (87.48%). What
does it indicate? It indicates very explicitly that tribal are in primitive
economy. All the districts in Maharashtra barring greater Mumbai
including suburban Mumbai having more than 50 per cent tribal in the
primary sector only. Being mostly in primary sector indicates their
illiteracy. In Punjab and Haryana, a people are mostly dependent on
agriculture but doing all this with advance techniques and area is plain
and very fertile. Hence, their main economy is agriculture and with
that these states are on the top in terms of their per capita income.
More over the land has been taken by the non-tribals, which is a
common phenomenon that must be stopped. As far as tribal work force
is main the concern, about 83 per cent is engaged in primary sector, but
in about 19 districts out of 30, more than 80 per cent for male
population is much less than the females in the same sector. In tribal
society, females are mostly in primary sector particularly in
agriculture. In about 19 districts more than 90 per cent tribal women
are just in primary sector, this is because of illiteracy and they are
engaged in collecting roots, fruits and food grains left out in the field
after harvesting.
2. Secondary Sector -1991
A negligible proportion of tribal working population is engaged in
secondary sector. In as many as 24 districts their proportion is less
than 10 per cent. In the remaining 6 districts the proportion in
secondary sector is above 10 per cent, Mumbai is having (33.86%).
Mumbai is distantly followed by Nagpur (21.09%), Sindhudurg
(18.35%), Kolhapur (17.57%), Solapur (13.87%), and Satara (10.20%). It
shows two things, very clearly, one is that higher is the share of
workers in industries, and area where the tribal proportion is less in
such areas their working population is diversified, because of the
impact of modernization in terms of education and overall development.
78
The condition of male tribals is comparatively better than the
women folk. More than 70 per cent male tribals are in secondary
sector, mostly in the large urban centers where they are migrated in
search of job and educational opportunities. The districts in which they
are comparatively more are Pune, Thane, Satara, Solapur, Sindhudurg,
Kolhapur, Nagpur and Greater Mumbai. The proportion of male
workers in secondary sector ranges from 2.26 per cent in Buldhana
districts to a maximum of 38.50 per cent in Mumbai.
It is not surprising as far as tribal women are concerned in the
country but it is certainly astonishing that in one of the advanced
states like Maharashtra in India where the proportion of tribal women
are hardly, 3 per cent as the 1991 census. Just in 14 districts, their
proportion was more than 3 per cent but surprisingly more than 10 per
cent in Solapur, Nagpur and Greater Mumbai. This also witnesses that
tribal women are much behind not only in comparison to general
masses but also of their counter parts.
3. Tertiary Sector-1991
The proportion of tribal workers in tertiary sector is 12.39 per
cent, which is comparatively very low. In about 09 districts out of 30,
the proportion of tribal workers in tertiary sector in 1991 was above the
state average (12.39%). In about 11 districts such as Bid, Pune,
Amravati, Kolhapur, Satara, Nagpur, Ratnagiri, Solapur, Sangli,
Sindhudurg and Greater Mumbai where their proportion was above 10
per cent in this sector. The proportion of workers in tertiary sector in
the state of Maharashtra varies from a lowest proportion of 3.60 per
cent in Dhule district to a highest 55.47 per cent in Greater Mumbai.
Greater Mumbai is the only district in the entire state where they can
be considered in the area of modernization.
The male tribal work force in tertiary sector is about 10 per cent
(9.97%) which is 3 times higher than the females in the same sector. At
state level the position in tertiary sector is considerably very poor, this
is because of their illiteracy and therefore they are mostly engaged in
79
unskilled or traditional occupations. It is therefore, concluded that until
unless they are well educated especially with higher education their
sustainable better life condition can not be achieved This can come
through political forces at national and micro levels and with the
understanding and awareness of tribals about themselves regarding
the nature of exploitation and the forces behind this.
80
Table 4.1
MAHARASHTRA – TRIBAL OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURE, 1991
Primary sector (%) Secondary sector (%) Tertiary sector (%) Sr.
no. Districts Person Male Female Person Male Female Person Male Female 1 Gr. Mumbai
10.68 11.17 09.04 33.86 38.50 18.56 55.47 50.33 72.4
2 Thane 84.71 79.84 91.31 08.80 11.24 05.48 6.5 8.92 3.21
3 Raigarh 85.10 84.69 84.00 06.13 07.32 04.25 8.77 7.99 11.75
4 Ratnagiri 70.92 79.59 55.05 06.79 05.89 08.42 22.29 14.52 36.52
5 Sindhudurg 54.38 48.99 64.91 18.35 16.85 21.27 27.27 34.16 13.82
6 Nashik 92.99 89.36 97.24 02.54 03.86 00.99 4.47 6.78 1.77
7 Dhule 94.70 92.81 97.08 01.70 02.33 00.90 3.6 4.86 2.02
8 Jalgaon 92.00 87.75 97.43 02.20 03.25 00.87 5.79 9 1.7
9 Ahmednagar 29.50 88.99 97.92 03.37 04.39 00.89 4.17 6.62 1.19
10 Pune 81.34 73.96 92.20 07.65 10.77 03.05 11.02 15.27 4.75
11 Satara 70.48 62.35 85.37 10.20 12.24 06.66 19.31 25.52 7.97
12 Sangli 68.56 60.26 88.08 07.54 09.31 03.37 32.9 30.43 8.55
13 Solapur 63.74 56.41 79.68 13.87 015.3 10.76 22.39 28.29 9.56
14 Kolhapur 64.05 56.37 82.29 17.57 21.51 09.00 18.38 22.45 8.71
15 Aurangabad 88.81 83.65 95.29 03.92 05.30 02.19 7.28 11.06 2.52
16 Jalana 89.85 84.13 96.97 04.01 06.22 01.27 6.14 9.65 1.76
17 Parbhani 93.90 89.57 98.15 02.01 03.06 00.73 4.1 7.37 1.12
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18 Bid 84.81 78.32 94.14 04.38 05.26 03.13 10.8 16.43 2.73
19 Nanded 92.12 89.25 97.39 01.97 02.71 00.97 5.32 8.04 1.64
20 Osmanabad 88.24 82.33 96.89 02.36 03.51 01.17 9.2 14.16 1.94
21 Latur 87.40 80.71 97.03 03.11 04.48 00.62 9.49 14.52 2.35
22 Buldhana 94.21 90.63 98.51 01.55 02.26 00.69 4.24 7.11 0.79
23 Akola 90.92 84.56 97.38 02.84 04.65 01.02 6.24 10.79 1.6
24 Amaravati 83.05 88.38 96.97 02.08 03.32 00.89 14.87 8.3 2.14
25 Yavatmal 92.67 89.36 97.19 02.29 03.61 00.83 5.05 7.03 1.98
26 Wardha 87.65 82.18 95.46 05.05 07.08 02.37 7.29 10.76 2.17
27 Nagpur 57.93 49.00 74.85 21.09 24.51 14.60 20.98 26.49 10.55
28 Bhandara 84.58 81.10 88.75 09.19 09.38 08.96 6.23 9.52 2.29
29 Chandrapur 85.53 80.45 89.68 06.10 07.66 05.40 8.37 11.89 4.92
30 Gadchiroli 94.28 92.56 96.76 01.89 02.27 01.34 3.83 5.17 1.9
Maharashtra 78.64 76.62 87.77 7.15 8.60 4.69 12.39 14.78 7.54
Source: Census of India-1991
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MAHARASHTRA – TRIBAL
OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURE (%),
1991
78.64
7.15
12.39
Primary sector (%) Secondary sector (%)
Tertiary sector (%)
Fig. 4.1
1. AGRICULTURAL SECTOR -1991
Tribals whether they are in Maharashtra or elsewhere, they are
mainly dependent on primary sector, particularly in agricultural sector.
Land is the source of their lively hood. The land on which they are
depended has also been reduced drastically as the moneylenders and
forest contractors have been exploiting these tribals. The process of
exploitation has not been so far stopped. In this section our concern is
to analyze the distribution of tribal workers in agricultural and
nonagricultural sectors of economy, which can indicate their shift from
traditional sector to the modern nonagricultural sector.
In Maharashtra maximum 76.32% tribal workforce is mainly
dependent on agriculture which incorporates cultivators and
agricultural labourers. In about 15 out of the total 30 districts in the
state having more than 85% workers of this community in agricultural
sector only and in the remaining 50% district less than 85% .What is
important to see here, that there are only 3 districts where their
83
proportion was less than 50%. These districts are Greater Mumbai
(1.15%), Ratnagiri (31.7%) and Sindhudurg (46.36%). It ranged from a
minimum of 1.15% to a maximum of 93.69% in Dhule district. The
proportion of tribals in agriculture is high where their proportion of
tribals is relatively high. In urban areas where some of the tribals
have migrated and working in nonagricultural sector, particularly in
urban areas, in such areas their proportion of population is relatively
very low.
The proportion of tribal male population engaged in agricultural
sector in 1991 was 70.96%, which is relatively less than their female
(85.40%) counter parts. Most of the women are in agricultural sector.
In about 17 districts the proportion of women in this sector is more
than 90%, as women are less exposed to literacy and modernization.
2. AGRICULTURAL SECTOR -2001
The situation in agriculture sector is slightly progressed in the
decade of 2001; the average was more than 68 pre cent (68.67%). It
means that the dependency on agriculture sector was downs by 7.65
percentage points, it shows tribal development. At the same time the
tribal districts like Dhule, Nandurbar, Nashik, Thane, Gadchiroli and
Chandrapur are developing in agriculture sector. The minimum
proportion of tribals are engaged in agriculture sector was 0.75 per cent
in Gr. Mumbai and maximum in Dhule i.e. 91.38 per cent.
The proportion of female population in agriculture sector in this
year was about 77.17 per cent, it more than the male (62.97%)
proportion. The highest proportion was found in male is about 88.88
per cent in Dhule and closely followed by Gadchiroli (87.34%),
Ahmednagar (86.06%). The lowest proportion was in 0.63 per cent in
Mumbai. The females in this sector was highest with 95.82 per cent in
the Parbhani district, which is in Marathawada division where
84
agriculture is the main source of economy of tribals, and very low in
obviously in Mumbai i.e. 1.09 per cent.
3. NON -AGRICULTURAL SECTOR-1991
The proportion of tribal workers in nonagricultural sector was
just about 23.68% in the state as the whole. The minimum proportion
of workers of this tribal community was 6.31% in Dhule district, and
the maximum 98.85% in Mumbai. Both are the extreme conditions in
Mumbai their proportion was 99% in nonagricultural sector. Because of
the fact that Mumbai is 100% urban where there is no scope of
agriculture; that is too for the tribals. There are only 3 districts, for
instant, Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri and Greater Mumbai. Where the tribals
are in non agriculture activities are more than 50%, otherwise their
proportion was less than this. It is a very pitiable condition that even in
21st century their condition has not visibly improved for which the
reasonly are many. For the development of such communities it needs
political will. That is the force which can get the welfare programs
implemented especially meant for them. The tribal sub-plans
implemented for tribal development need to be monitored and reviewed
to see that whatever the benefits percolated to these backward
communities in given areas.
The proportion of male workers in non agricultural sector is
comparatively 2 times higher than their women folk (14.60%) in 1991.
In about 11 districts the proportion of the male tribal was less than the
state average (29.04%) and in the remaining, it was more than that of
Nagpur, Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, and Greater Mumbai. The proportion
of male workers in non agricultural sector is above 60%. The lowest
proportion was (6.31%) in Dhule, and highest (98.85%) in Greater
Mumbai. But in case of women, the proportion was above 50% in
Ratnagiri and Greater Mumbai only otherwise in 28 districts it was
less than 50%. In about 11 districts, the proportion of females in non-
85
agricultural sector was above the state average (14.60%), and in the
remaining 19 districts it was less than that. It ranged from a minimum
of 2.19% in Parbhani to a maximum of 98.41% in Greater Mumbai. This
also indicated that the proportion of women workers in nonagricultural
sector was high as they have been accompanied their husbands.
Otherwise, the shift of women from agricultural sector to non
agricultural sector was a very low process as compared to their men.
4. NON -AGRICULTURAL SECTOR-2001
In the 2001, the non agriculture sector was 31.33 percent, it a
progressive sign for tribal development. As many as 9 districts are
accounted more than average and remaining less than average of the
state. The maximum non agriculture sector is depicted in the district of
Gr.Mumbai was 99.25 per cent, and minimum in Dhule (8.62%). The
average proportion of male in non agriculture sector was 37.03 per cent;
it is more than the female average (22.83%). The maximum proportion
was noted in female with 98.91 in Mumbai, minimum in 4.18 per cent
in Parbhani and followed by Buldhana (4.65%), Dhule (5.12), and
Gadchiroli (5.28%).
86
Table 4.2
Maharashtra
Percentage of Tribal workers in Agricultural and Non-
agricultural sectors, 1991
Agricultural sector Non-agricultural sector Sr.
no.
District
Persons Male Female Persons Male Female
1 Gr. Mumbai 1.15 1.02 1.59 98.85 98.98 98.41
2 Thane 81.4 75.75 89.07 18.6 24.25 10.93
3 Raigarh 74.65 69.84 79.71 25.35 30.16 20.29
4 Ratnagiri 35.17 28.59 47.22 64.83 71.41 52.78
5 Sindhudurg 46.36 41.24 56.36 53.64 58.76 43.64
6 Nashik 91.83 87.62 96.76 8.17 12.38 3.24
7 Dhule 93.69 91.35 96.66 6.31 8.65 3.34
8 Jalgaon 90.06 84.96 96.56 9.94 15.04 3.44
9 Ahmednagar 90.37 86.27 96.48 9.63 13.73 3.52
10 Pune 78.21 70.23 89.98 21.79 29.77 10.02
11 Satara 62.58 54.77 76.87 37.42 45.23 23.13
12 Sangli 65.89 57.86 84.78 34.11 42.14 15.22
13 Solapur 60.4 52.78 76.98 39.6 47.22 23.02
14 Kolhapur 61.34 53.45 80.06 38.66 46.55 19.94
15 Aurangabad 86.99 81.1 94.42 13.01 18.9 5.58
16 Jalana 88 81.47 96.12 12 18.53 3.88
17 Parbhani 92.64 87.55 97.81 7.36 12.45 2.19
18 Bid 78.88 70.84 90.41 21.12 29.16 9.59
19 Nanded 91.3 87.02 97.17 8.7 12.98 2.83
20 Osmanabad 86.14 79.76 95.49 13.86 20.24 4.51
21 Latur 86.39 79.06 96.96 13.61 20.94 3.04
22 Buldhana 91.93 87.32 97.46 8.07 12.68 2.54
23 Akola 89.67 82.56 96.87 10.33 17.44 3.13
24 Amravati 81.66 86.17 96.34 18.34 13.83 3.66
25 Yavatmal 88.8 86.58 96.59 11.2 13.42 3.41
26 Wardha 85.13 78.64 94.29 14.87 21.36 5.71
27 Nagpur 53.75 43.78 72.61 46.25 56.22 27.39
28 Bhandara 81.26 76.61 86.83 18.74 23.39 13.17
29 Chandrapur 81.02 73.86 87.34 18.98 26.14 12.66
30 Gadchiroli 92.93 90.61 96.28 7.07 9.39 3.72
Maharashtra 76.32 70.96 85.40 23.68 29.04 14.60
Source: Census of India 1991
87
Percentage of Tribal workers in Agricultural
and Non-agricultural sectors, 1991
76.32
23.68
Agricultural sector Non-agricultural sector
Fig.4.2
Percentage of tribal workers in
Agricultural and Non- Agricultural sectors,
2001
68.67
31.33
Agricultural sector Nonagricultural sector
Fig. 4.3
23.68
76.32
88
Table 4.3
Maharashtra
Percentage of tribal workers in Agricultural and Non-
Agricultural sectors, 2001
Agricultural sector Nonagricultural sector Sr.No. Districts
Persons Male Female Persons Male Female
1 Gr. Mumbai 0.75 0.63 1.09 99.25 99.37 98.91
2 Thane 69.51 62.79 79.31 30.49 37.21 20.69
3 Raigarh 55.02 42.96 65.18 44.98 57.04 34.82
4 Ratnagiri 26.6 19.53 45.01 73.4 80.47 54.99
5 Sindhudurg 19.32 13.93 5.15 80.68 86.07 94.85
6 Nashik 88.24 73.74 93.97 11.76 26.26 6.03
7 Dhule 91.38 88.88 94.88 8.62 11.12 5.12
8 Jalgaon 86.88 81.52 94.3 13.12 18.48 5.7
9 Ahmednagar 85.41 86.06 83.66 14.59 13.94 16.34
10 Pune 71.57 62.53 84.07 28.43 37.47 15.93
11 Satara 41.35 39.77 60.33 58.65 60.23 39.67
12 Sangli 60.24 51.57 53.33 39.76 48.43 46.67
13 Solapur 54.96 48.09 68.98 45.04 51.91 31.02
14 Kolhapur 51.77 44.62 67.6 48.23 55.38 32.4
15 Aurangabad 78.86 73.09 86.67 21.14 26.91 13.33
16 Jalana 77.14 69.96 88.17 22.86 30.04 11.83
17 Parbhani 88.95 83.43 95.82 11.05 16.57 4.18
18 Bid 78.75 58.1 85.65 21.25 41.9 14.35
19 Nanded 85.51 81 92.21 14.49 19 7.79
20 Osmanabad 78.2 70.63 90.23 21.8 29.37 9.77
21 Latur 56.92 69.63 89.13 43.08 30.37 10.87
22 Buldhana 89.94 85.48 95.35 10.06 14.52 4.65
23 Akola 87.14 81.9 94.48 12.86 18.1 5.52
24 Amravati 86.39 82.67 92.15 13.61 17.33 7.85
25 Yavatmal 87.5 82.98 93.73 12.5 17.02 6.27
26 Wardha 77.53 71.81 87.94 22.47 28.19 12.06
27 Nagpur 45.84 37.52 65.44 54.16 62.48 34.56
28 Bhandara 73.57 69.42 80.44 26.43 30.58 19.56
29 Chandrapur 74.57 67.65 86.17 25.43 32.35 13.83
30 Gadchiroli 90.34 87.34 94.72 9.66 12.66 5.28
Maharashtra 68.67 62.97 77.17 31.33 37.03 22.83
Source: Census of India 2001
89
OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURAL AT VILLAGE LEVEL (2006-
2010)
The area undertaken for the present study comprises Thane,
Nashik, and Nandurbar districts where 37.93 per cent of the total
tribal population in the state of Maharashtra has been concentrated.
This analysis is based on the primary data generated by conducting
intensive field surveys in about 14 villages in the study area during
2006-10 so as to bring out the hidden ground realities of tribals. It
could help to look into their economic status to through the occupation,
which they do. It helps to see that how these tribals suffering from
malnutrition, which is very much related with their economy. In this
section we are focusing on the occupational structure of the tribals’
particularly in agricultural sector comprising cultivators and
agricultural labourers and in non-agricultural sector in 14 sample
villages.
CULTIVATORS
As mention above, the agricultural sector comprises of cultivators
and agricultural labourers. It is assumed that most of the tribals
pursue cultivation of crops being very much dependent on land. If they
have forest area in and around their settlement, they also collect the
forest produce like roots and fruits for their survival in which not only
the head of the household, infact all the members of the family pursue
these activities together. They are also holding some land in such areas
where their proportion as cultivators is generally high and where they
have dispossessed the landed economy, have been entailed to work as
agricultural labourers or some other work as agricultural labourers or
other work for their survival that does not provide suffice food and
nutrition for their well-being. It is evidenced from the Table 4.4 that an
on average of 14 sample villages of the study area the proportion of
90
tribes doing cultivation constituted 38.40 per cent during 2006-10. It is
further found that the proportion of tribal cultivators varied from a
minimum of 21.38 per cent in Kakarpada village in Akkalkuwa tahsil
of Nandurbar district to the highest 69.44 per cent in village Bhatode of
Dindori tahsil of Nashik district.
The villages like Kakarpada (15.21%),Itwai (16.35%),Pohara
(21.37%) in Akkalkuwa tahsil of Nandurbar district, Nyahale (22.37%),
Karamba (24.39%) in Jawhar tahsil of Thane district, the proportion of
cultivators was more than 15 to less 30 per cent. Borvan (32.69%) and
Phopsi (35.34%) in Dindori tahsil of Nashik district and Kankala
(36.34%) in Akkalkuwa tahsil of Nandurbar district fall in between 30
to 40 per cent. Kakarpada, Itwai, Pohara, Nyahale and Karamba
villages with very low proportion of cultivators (below 25%) as the land,
whatever is arable is not under irrigation, barring some pockets
otherwise, mostly dependent on rainfall, which is between 2200 mm
and 2500 mm. The proportion of male cultivators is relatively higher
than the females in these villages. Borvan is located at the foot of hills
and it is mostly isolated and most backward village, we have identified
in terms of their well-being and economy that lacks necessary
infrastructure, transportation and communication. Another villages
Phopsi in Dindori tahsil and Kankala in Akkalkuwa tahsil where more
than 30 per cent tribals were as cultivators which is comparatively
better than the other five villages in the category of less than 40 per
cent, but at the same time the proportion of male cultivators in Phopsi
was about 46 per cent and for females was about 26 per cent. It means
that to some extent land is under cultivation but not much irrigated
and the rainfall is between 1000 and 2000 mm. All these three villages
more or less are mostly dependent on rainfall and therefore proportion
of cultivators is comparatively less.
In the category of 40 to 60 per cent cultivators, there were four
villages for instance, Bhanwad (44.44%) in Dindori tahsil of Nashik
91
district, Ghatkarpada (44.74%), Koch (56.90%) in Mokhada tahsil of
Thane district, and Sulyachpada (54.55%) in Jawhar tahsil of Thane
district. These four villages are located in the western and north-
western and parts of their district, where the rainfall is comparatively
high (above 1000 mm). The nearby reserve forest area is also the
reason of high rainfall in this area. The main crops grown are paddy,
groundnut, Bajara, cotton, etc. The climate as a whole in the districts is
dry and the temperature ranges between 160 and 410 and the annual
rainfall is about 674 mm. It means that the rainfall is above the
districts average. The Bardi village located at the foot of the hill- the
Sapura ranges, which are almost isolated one and most of the people
work as cultivators and more than one third of them working as
agricultural labourers. The overall condition of the village tribal people
was poverty stricken. Economically backward, there is no provision of
electricity, roads, transport, tap water, communication, etc. in this
village. Ghatkarpada is having relatively barren land and the crops
grown there, are mostly Jowar, Bajara, Udad, Tur, etc.
There are two villages like Chandikapur (63.27%) and Bhatode
(69.44%) in Dindori tahsil of Nashik district, where the proportion of
cultivators was very high, which ranged from more than 62 to less than
70 per cent. The village Chandikapur in Dindori tahsil is comparatively
better because of grape-vine cultivation where they get work as
agricultural labourers, apart from their own cultivation work. Bhatode
is also comparatively better having near about 70 per cent workers in
cultivation due to irrigation provision.
Table 4.4 further reveals that the proportion of male (42.55%) as
well as female (34.26%) cultivators having little difference. It shows
that other than agriculture, they do not do other work to earn their
livelihood , therefore the difference in this sector of economy is not
much, as they work on the land whatever the possess.
92
AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS
As the tribals loosing their land ownership to the non-tribals
their proportion as agricultural labourers has been augmenting and
cultivators on the declining trend. It is evidenced from the fact that
even at the village level in the area under study, the average proportion
of agricultural labourers as per field work was 42.34 per cent. It is
important to note that the proportion of female agricultural labourers
was higher than their male population, and males to some extent are
capable to move to the cities or nearby villages to have opportunity to
work in non-agricultural sector but females are bound to their family
and household and landed property where they work along with their
male members and alone also.
The minimum proportion of tribal agricultural labourers was
found in Kankala (9.13%) in Akkalkuwa tahsil of Nandurbar district
and the maximum (75.61%) was in Karamba village in Jawhar tahsil of
Thane district. In as many as 5 sample villages out of 14 in the study
area, it was found that the percentage of tribal agricultural labourers
was less than 30 per cent. As many as five sample villages i.e. Kankala
(9.13%), Pohara (15.72%), Itwai (27.88%) are in Akkalkuwa tahsil of
Nandurbar district, the villages of Bhatode (25.00%) and Chandikapur
(36.73%) are in Dindori tahsil of Nashik district. Most of all these
villages where the proportion of agricultural labourers was less,
cultivators were more. When we go deep into the tribal remote areas
tribals cultivate their own land whether it is economically viable or not
and hardly few of them go for the work as agricultural labourers in the
nearby villages. It is further noted that in 06 sample villages the
proportion of agricultural labourers ranged between more than 40 per
cent and less than 60 per cent, these are Sulyachpada (45.45%) in
Jawhar tahsil, Ghatkarpada (50.00%), Koch (41.38%) in Mokhada
tahsil of Thane district, and Chandikapur (36.73%), Bhanwad (50.00%)
and Borvan (57.69%) in Dindori tahsil of Nashik district.
93
Nashik and Thane districts are well developed district in the
state, in connection with industrially and agriculturally, wherever the
commercial crops are being cultivated there is a large demand of
agricultural labourers and in such areas tribals are working as
agricultural labourers because of grape-vine, onion, chilly cultivation
and processing, and sugarcane cultivation, as these crops provide net
cash to the land lords. During the harvesting, the demand for
agricultural labourers is generally high, and tribals can get
employment easily. It is also investigated that during the off seasons,
tribals barrow money from the landlords and labour contractors, who
contact these tribals well in advance and made agreement between
them to offer some amount and tribal can meet their basic needs or for
some marriage ,and many other family ceremony purposes. But the
thing is that, they are unable to return this amount and they return by
working on their field as daily agricultural labourers. This kind of
exploitation is very common in tribal areas. It is also found that the
advance amount is given to the tribal by the particular labour
contractors and landlords to fix them in advance to work as labourers
next year for harvesting the crops.
There are hardly three villages out of 14 sample villages where
the daily wage labour workers were about 60% to 76%. These are at
Phopsi (60.15%) in Dindori tahsil of Nashik district, Nyahale (68.42%)
and Karamba (75.61%) in Jawhar tahsil of Thane district. In these
three villages the proportion of cultivators is very low as there is no
land of tribals to earn adequate livelihood out of their small holdings
and they are having no way or choice other than to work on the land,
which belongs to others and earn their lively hood not only the male
members but females also go for this kind of work to supplement
income to the household. This is what I have seen that the living
condition of the tribals in all the villages of the three districts i.e.
Thane, Nashik, and Nandurbar. Their economic condition can be
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improved through education, in their own or nearby villages where they
can walk down within a distance of 3 km and should be made a
provision of land possession with the tribals, more over their
exploitation by the out siders needs to be put an end and is only
possible when they are well educated and their living condition is
improved.
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR (2006-10)
It is understood that tribals are still living in far off and remote
areas barring a few of them who have migrated to other places in
search of better opportunities. They are mostly dependent on land, may
be as cultivators or agricultural labourers. In the 14 sample villages,
were mostly dominated by tribal population and surrounded adverse
geographical condition. In the 11 villages out of 14, the proportion of
tribals in agricultural sector was more than 90 per cent. And only in
three villages, for instance, Chandikapur, Karamba and Sulyachpada
(Table 4.4) are such where the 100 per cent tribals are engaged in
agricultural sector. It proves with evidences that tribals mainly stay is
on agricultural sector only. The question here arises, that how they can
be protected from exploitation of dispossession of landed property and
how their standard of living can be improved. The fact is that more
than 40 per cent tribals in the tribal villages are landless as per field
survey (2006-10). On an average more than 25 per cent tribals
possessing much less than one hectare (ha) of land. It means that 65
per cent tribals are absolutely landless and in that remaining tribals
whatever the land they have is not that much suffice to meet their both
the ends as the land is mostly un-irrigated . Therefore, for their
survival, they both men and women work as daily wage labourers and
the daily wages paid to them are also much less than the government
rates. Tribal women get much less than their men folk. This is what
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actually situation with the tribals in their own areas, which needs to be
addressed very systematically, carefully and sincerely.
NON-AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
Since more than 90 per cent tribals and in some cases 100 per
cent, pursuing their activities in agricultural sector, have shifted from
shifting cultivation since long. It vindicates that a very insignificant
proportion of tribal community has been working as peons or clerks
who have attained some education from Ashramshalas or from the
nearby colleges. It is also to note that 0.16 per cent tribal women were
recruited as peons in Ashramshalas in Bhanwad village in Dindori
tahsil of Nashik district. On an average, in all these 14 villages the
overall proportion of tribals as peons in non-agricultural sector was
about as low as 0.08 per cent. This non-agricultural sector especially as
clerk and peons is dominated by the male tribals and rarely the tribal
women.
It is further investigated that on an average 2.15 per cent tribals
were also working as tailors in the villages and some of them working
in some private factories to earn their livelihood. The proportion of
male workers (2.62%) in the study area as per our survey was much
higher than the female tribal (0.96%). The highest proportion of male
workers are observe in non- agricultural sector in village Nyahale
(10.71%) in Jawhar tahsil of Thane district, and closely followed by
Pohara (7.50%), Ghatkarpada (6.67% ), and Borvan ( 6.25% ). In only
two villages the proportion was less than 2 per cent to more than 3 per
cent. It is further noted that only one village Phopsi (9.23% ), where the
tribal women’s proportion was relation high in this sector, they were
working in non-agricultural sector particularly preparing meals in
Ashramshalas and also doing the job of sorting of drying grapes in the
grape-vine yards. It is concluded that most of the tribal males are in
the non-agriculture sector although their proportion was insignificant
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but relatively higher than the tribal females. It reflects the disparity in
the attainment of literacy and education, which opens the doors for the
entry in to the non-agricultural sector as a whole. One can say that
tribals are predominantly pursuing their activities mainly in
agricultural sector and insignificant proportion in the non-agricultural
sector.
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Table 4.4
Occupational Structure of Tribal Population in Sample Village, 2006-10
Cultivators Agricultural
Labourers Forest Labourers Sr.
No
Name of
Village Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female
1 Chandikapur 63.27 66.67 60.00 36.73 33.33 40.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
2 Bhanwad 44.44 63.64 26.09 50.00 36.36 63.04 0.00 0.00 0.00
3 Bhatode 69.44 61.54 90.00 25.00 30.77 10.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
4 Borvan 32.69 34.38 30.00 57.69 59.38 55.00 3.85 0.00 10.00
5 Phopsi 35.34 45.59 24.62 60.15 54.41 66.15 0.00 0.00 0.00
6 Koch 56.90 57.14 56.52 41.38 42.86 39.13 0.00 0.00 0.00
7 Ghatkarpada 44.74 43.33 50.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
8 Nyahale 22.37 25.00 15.00 68.42 62.50 85.00 1.32 1.79 0.00
9 Karamba 24.39 27.27 21.05 75.61 72.73 78.95 0.00 0.00 0.00
10 Sulyachpada 54.55 57.14 40.00 45.45 42.86 60.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
11 Kankala 56.60 56.92 52.74 40.14 42.00 38.96 0.00 0.00 0.00
12 Itwai 45.40 42.30 51.45 49.92 48.91 49.47 0.00 0.00 0.00
13 Pohara 21.38 27.50 15.18 67.24 59.51 80.11 0.00 0.00 0.00
14 Kakarpada 25.38 28.81 22.91 68.67 67.95 70.12 0.00 0.00 0.00
Average 42.64 45.52 39.68 53.82 51.56 57.38 0.37 0.13 0.71
CONTD. TABLE
98
Teachers Clerk Peon Other Work Participation Rate Sr.
No
Name of
Village Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female
1 Chandikapur 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 43.64 44.64 44.14
2 Bhanwad 3.33 0.00 6.52 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.11 0.00 2.17 1.11 0.00 2.17 25.88 26.14 26.01
3 Bhatode 2.78 3.85 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.78 3.85 0.00 38.24 15.87 27.48
4 Borvan 1.92 0.00 5.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.85 6.25 0.00 39.02 25.97 32.70
5 Phopsi 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.51 0.00 9.23 31.34 33.68 32.44
6 Koch 1.72 0.00 4.35 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 36.46 24.73 30.69
7 Ghatkarpada 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.26 6.67 0.00 44.78 17.39 33.63
8 Nyahale 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 7.89 10.71 0.00 43.75 16.81 30.77
9 Karamba 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 39.29 30.65 34.75
10 Sulyachpada 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 41.18 07.14 23.91
11 Kankala 1.01 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.87 1.65 1.98 47.72 67.71 26.73
12 Itwai 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 44.23 65.38 23.08
13 Pohara 0.63 1.25 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.77 7.50 0.00 41.51 57.50 23.31
14 Kakarpada 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 44.78 44.63 44.95
Average 0.81 0.36 1.14 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.08 0.00 0.16 2.15 2.62 0.96 40.13 34.16 31.04
Source: Field survey-2006-10
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CONCLUSION
It is concluded that tribals are basically dependent on
agriculture about 85 (84.77%) per cent in 1991 and 92.26 per cent
female tribals work as agricultural labourers besides their household
chores. The proportion of tribals in agricultural sector has decline from
92.03% to 83.81% during 1991-2001 in the area under case study i.e. in
north- western part of Maharashtra. This stands true for male and
females also but sharp declined in case of male tribals who are more
than non-tribal females. In urban centers or near urban centers, the
proportion of tribals is relatively high. Higher the concentration of
tribal population higher is the proportion of cultivators and larger the
magnitude of remoteness. Higher the concentration of tribals and lesser
is the modernization and proportion of agricultural labours. In primary
sector, the proportion of tribals is generally higher than the non-tribals
but the tribal females’ proportion higher than their men folk.
In secondary sector, tribals are insignificant (5.40% - 1991) in
Maharashtra, due to their illiteracy and backwardness. In tertiary
sector (7.13% - 1991) their proportion was slightly higher than in the
secondary sector and highest proportion was in Thane tahsil of Thane
district. The proportion of tribal cultivators has declined by 4.39 per
cent (from 84.77% to 80.38%) during 1991-01. Tribal labours force is
highly concentrated in the eastern part of the study area as commercial
crops are being grown here. It is suggested that government should
make a policy that each tribal household should be provided suffice
land with ownership and neither should it be sold to any one nor to be
transferred.
It is found in sample villages with evidences that predominantly
tribals are in agricultural sector (84.77%) and majority of them pursue
cultivation and quite a substantial proportion (53.82) work as wage
labourers on the land that belongs to others. Due to Ashramshalas
some of them have got the opportunity to work as teachers (2.15%),
100
clerks (0.13%), peons (0.25%) and other (0.09%). Higher the proportion
of cultivators lower is the agricultural labourers and vice versa. High
proportion of wage labourers pertains to commercialization of crops.
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REFERENCES
1. Bhardwaj, S.M. and Harvey, M.E. (1975): Occupational
Structure of the Scheduled Castes and General Population in
Punjab - A Comparative Multivariate Analysis”, The National
Geographical Journal of India, Vol. XXI, Pt.2, (June), pp.75-97.
2. Ramotra, K.C. (2008): Development Process and the Scheduled
Castes, Rawat Publications, Jaipur.
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