Recasting Citizenship for Development - File UPI

126 SANDEEP JOSHI
progress of work and assess the overall impact of the scheme on the tribal
women of the district.
Two blocks were selected on the basis of their having a higher proportion
of ‘beneficiaries’ of the scheme. From each block, 10 gram panchayats
and from each gram panchayat 10 women ‘beneficiaries’ of the EAS, that
is, 200 women in all, were to be selected for the study. However, due to
the non-availability of women beneficiaries of EAS, a sample of only 170
could be selected and interviewed. A few selected issues, which have a direct
bearing on the status of employment in the study area, have been taken
up for analysis and interpretation. These issues deal with the number of
working months in a year, the actual number of working days, duration
of employment at the migrated location, months in which the EAS should
be carried out, reasons for migration, family card, facilities, working hours
in a day, wages paid under the EAS, duration of employment under the
EAS, earning from the EAS and the problem of migration.
Employment as Casual Wage Labour
An attempt is made to ascertain the actual number of days the women
work as casual wage labourers in a year. In order to get a correct and nearly
accurate picture, they were asked to mention separately the number of
working days both in a week and in different seasons. After the necessary
calculations, the data has been split into four categories. The data reveals
that only 14.7 per cent women labourers get work for 10–12 months;
37.05 per cent respondents get work for only up to three months. If we
include those in the second category (four to six months), we find that
70 per cent respondents of the sample do not get opportunities to work
as wage labourers for over six months. This shows the non-availability of
adequate employment opportunities in the district (see Table 6.1).
Table 6.1
Employment as Casual Wage Labour
Employment as Casual Wage Labour No.
Respondents
Per cent
Up to 3 months 63 37.05
4–6 months 56 32.95
7–9 months 26 15.30
10–12 months 25 14.70
Total 170 100.00