Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

The industrial classification of the main workers is not available from the available
estimates of the 2001 census. Hence, we have to use the figures of 1991 census, which is
given below:
Table IV
Industrial Classification of Main Workers-1991
Industrial workers Male Female Total
MPSOH* 4061(8.83) 531(8.95) 4592(8.84)
Constructions 2984(6.49) 55(0.93) 3039(5.85)
Trade and
commerce
Transport and
communication
9540(20.74) 169(2.85) 9709(18.70)
2943(6.40) 32(0.54) 2975(5.73)
Other services 6069(13.20) 2511(42.32) 8580(16.53)
*manufacturing, Processing, and Servicing other than the Household Industry
Source: Census of 1991, Detailed tables for Malappuram district.
The classification given here is likely to be retained in the category ‘other workers’ in the
2001 census. This comes to about 55.95% of the total main workers of the region, and we
have already seen that the ‘other workers’ is about 83.8% of the total workers, and about
79.80% of the main workers. If we assume that the percentage (for the Taluk) represents
a tendency for the region, then we can see that the there is a rise in the number of other
workers, which is not surprising, as we have seen that there was a decline in the number
of agricultural workers of the region. But the crucial point is that there has not been a
major rise in the number of industries in the region during the past decade. Hence, the
shift from agriculture has been to other forms of sundry economic activities, and not to
industry. We have seen that construction, trade and transport have occupied a major share
of the industrial workers, and it is possible that their number has swelled.