Tamil Nadu 2003 - of Planning Commission

EMPLOYMENT, INCOME AND POVERTY ✦ 27
(Table 3.10 Contd.)
1977–78 1983 1987–88 1993–94 1999–2000
3. Casual 32.9 39.5 37.3 42.7 42.2
4. Wage Labour (2+3) 51.4 56.7 57.2 60.0 63.9
5. Total Workers 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
6. Proportion of casual to total wage labour
(a) Male 51.8 59.8 57.4 64.0 60.1
(b) Female 87.7 85.9 78.4 82.5 76.7
(c) Rural 75.1 82.6 80.4 84.1 81.4
(d) Urban 35.7 40.5 32.6 41.5 32.5
7. All 64.0 69.7 65.2 71.1 66.0
Source: Sarvekshana, Various issues.
The rising incidence of casualization is related to the nature of agrarian transformation taking place in the
State. The modernization of agriculture appears to have reduced the demand for labour in crop husbandry. A
host of other factors—such as the eviction of tenants, immiseration of petty landowners, declining payments
in kind, declining area under coarse cereals, expansion of public distribution system (PDS) network and consequent
decline in dependence on landlords for food security—have all contributed to the structural change and qualitative
transformation of the workforce in rural areas.
One of the consequences of casualization is the high degree of inter-sectoral mobility of labour. A vast
majority of the brick-kiln workers, quarry workers and construction workers are basically agricultural labourers and
petty landowners. Casualization also brings with it a lack of job security, frequent change of work place, increasing
exposure to exploitative, informal, contractual arrangements, intermittent work, poor working conditions and
consequently a high level of income instability.
The other component of wage employment is salaried employment. Between 1993–4 and 1999–2000 such
employment increased from 4.94 million to 6.29 million. While employment for males in regular salaried employment
increased at an annual compound growth rate of 3.78 per cent between 1977–8 and 1999–2000, employment for
females in the same category increased at a rate of 5.09 per cent. The increase in regular salaried employment has
been faster in urban areas (4.28 per cent) than in rural areas (3.78 per cent). It is also evident from Table 3.10
that the proportion of self-employed workers has declined from 48.6 per cent in 1977–8 to 36.1 per cent in
1999–2000.
Wages and Earnings
Given the high percentage of wage labourers in Tamil Nadu, wage earnings are of considerable importance. There
has been a significant increase in the wages of agricultural labourers in recent years. According to the ‘Rural
Labour Enquiry Report on Wages and Earnings’, the increase in average daily earnings in agricultural occupations
for men, women and children belonging to rural households was the highest in Tamil Nadu as compared to
other southern States as well as All India. The average daily earnings of men have increased by 156 per cent in
nominal terms, while those of women and children by 144 and 125 per cent, respectively.
Wages in real terms also increased between 1993–4 and 1997–8 for agricultural labourers. The index of real
wages for ploughmen increased by 26.8 per cent, that for male and female transplanters and weeders by 19.3
per cent and 23.4 per cent, respectively and that for male and female reapers and harvesters by 15.2 per cent and