4. METHODOLOGY This chapter deals with the methodological issues involved in completion of the present study. It explains the need, the problem and the objectives of the study, justification for selection of the area, selection of sample, methodology adopted for collection of data and analytical tools used in the study. 4.1 Need for Research on Seasonal Migration Seasonal migration is considered as an important feature of rural scene. Seasonal migration of agricultural labour affects the rural economy both in place of origin and of destination. It is an important mechanism by means of which the pressure of labour force in the village labour market is getting relieved to a larger extent. The labour migration hi&lps the farm economy and rural development. Seasonal migration is symptomatic of basic economic and social changes. In developing countries, rapid economic and social changes are accompanied by population redistribution between two areas. The migration flows have a bearing upon several problems of the development process such as employment and regional development. Therefore, it is necessary to study social and economic consequences of migration. The studies of seasonal migration of agricultural labour covering economic aspects are few and far between. Still more limited are perhaps those linking seasonal migration and rural development. Many researchers in literature 122 emphasised on the need for taking up the socio-economic research in this area of migration. There is need for studying migrant behaviour both at the place of origin and the place of destination (two-ended studies) and explaining it in the context of both communities. Most of the studies on seasonal migration of agricultural labour were conducted at one point of time. Such studies failed to reveal the changes in migratory movements in response to changes in socio-economic characteristics of the place of origin as well as the place of destination. Most significantly, the phenomenon of migration on seasonal basis from backward areas to more developed areas seems to be on the increase. In recent years, studies on migration have started getting recognition though their contribution to economic growth was acknowledged in economic theory longback. An increased understanding of the seasonal migration process can aid the formulation of development policies. In this situation, the studies on seasonal migration of agricultural labourers assume significance in a labour surplus country like India. 4.2 The Problem After Independence, sugar industry in Maharashtra has grown up rapidly. Particularly, in Western Maharashtra region, it developed rapidly due to assured irrigation water and favourable agro-climate conditions. As a result, it has provided seasonal employment to the agricultural labour in this region. As already pointed 123 out, every sugar factory provides employment to nearly 5000 persons in the cane crushing season and 1000 persons are fully employed. During the crushing season of 88-89, there were 100 sugar factories actually engaged in production in the State. Hence, sugar industry in Maharashtra provides seasonal employment to about six lakhs labourers who are engaged in harvesting and transport of sugarcane to the factories. The harvesting and transportation of sugarcane provides seasonal employment to large number of agricultural and landless labourers. There is continuous flow of migrant labourers from backward and dry area of the state to the sugar factories every year during the harvest season. The sugarcane harvesting and transporting is exceptionally labour intensive job which is left to hired hands. In Maharashtra, seasonal workers who are brought in from distant parts have for many years formed a substantial part of the labour force during the harvest season. Most of these labour households are small farmers and landless labourers belonging to the drought prone area of the state, especially Western Part of the Beed district, some part of Osmanabad and Aurangabad districts and dry part of Ahmednagar and Solapur districts in Maharashtra. The migrant workers belong to an area which is situated in the rain-shadow of Maharashtra. Much of the land in this dry agriculture zone is also of a very poor quality. Apart from scattered patches which are irrigated, cultivation 124 remains mainly limited to crude grains such as bajara and jowar. The rural population for the most part consists of small peasants and landless labourers for whom, after the harvest of kharif crops at the end of the rainy season, there are hardly any possibilities for earning of living. It is common that drought occurs once in three or four years, on an average, in these areas. Their poverty forces them to hire their labour elsewhere for large part of the year. It appears that the lack of possibilities of employment within and outside the farms owing to dry nature of agriculture, uneconomic units of cultivation, poor resources base and surplus family labour compel them to migrate seasonally during their off season to the sugar factories in Western Maharashtra where they get a sufficient employment and income for family and fodder for animals. They migrate to the sugar factories along with their surplus family labour, bullock labour and some animals during October-November and return back to their native villages in Apri1-May. There are social and economic problems associated with seasonal migration of agricultural labour. The study of these issues associated with migration is essential to understand the process of migration. The first issue is, who are the people that dominate the seasonal migration flow and why do they migrate. The remaining two issues are, what are the socio-economic characteristics of 125 seasonal migrant households and what are the effects of seasonal migration on income and employment of the migrant households ? A careful analysis of the process of seasonal migration can properly evaluate the effects of seasonal migration on the migrant households. It will help to take some necessary steps and actions to reduce the poverty by increasing employment opportunities in the rural areas. Though it is recognised that seasonal migration is rural to rural and is dependent on complementary peaks of labour demand, not much detailed studies are available. Hence, it was decided to take up the present investigation viz., a study of Socio-economic aspects of seasonal migratory agricultural labour working in sugar factories with reference to Pathardi Taluka (Dist : Ahmednagar, Maharashtra) 4.3 Location of the Study The present investigation is carried out in the area of origin of migrants, i.e. Pathardi Taluka, an eastern part in Ahmednagar district of Western Maharashtra. Simultaneously, the area of destination of seasonal migratory agricultural labourers is also studied. The area of destination is 21 sugar factories in the state of Maharashtra, where these labourers from Pathardi Taluka migrate-, seasonally during the crushing season. Some of these sugar factories were visited personally to study the nature of work and working conditions. The area of origin 126 and the area of destination are shown on the map of Maharashtra. 4.4 Selection of Ahmednagar district The district of Ahmednagar, lying between 18°.2' and 19°.9' north latitude and 73°.9' and 75°.5' east longitude, is situated partly in the upper Godavari basin and partly in the Bhima basin. The district is bounded on the north by Nasik district, on the north-east by Aurangabad district, on the east by Beed and Osmanabad districts, on the south by Solapur district and on the south-west by Thane district. With total geographical area of 17,035 Sq.Kms., the district ranks second in the state when the area is considered, while in terms of population it stands fifth. Ahmednagar district is comprised of 13 talukas i.e. Nagar, Rahuri, Shrirampur, Newasa, Shevgaon, Pathardi Jamkhed, Karjat, Shrigonda, Parner, Akole, Sangamner and Kopargaon. The Godavari and Bhima are the major rivers of the district. The Pravara is the tributary of the Godavari river. The Mula, the Adhala and the Mahalungi are the important contributories of the Pravara. The southern part of the district, consisting of Parner, Pathardi, Nagar, Shrigonda and Karjat talukas, constitutes the Bhima basin with the tributaries Sina, Kukadi and Ghod. Among these rivers the Pravara, the Mula and the Godavari have been a boon to this district. At Bhandardara in Akole Taluka on Pravara and at Baragaon Nandur in Rahuri Taluka on the Mula, irrigation dams are constructed. 127 FIG. 1. MAP OF MAHARASHTRA, SHOWING THE AREA OF ORIGIN AND THE AREA OF W)RK OF THE SAMPLE HOUSEHOLDS NJ 00 The canal irrigation system on these two rivers along with the water available from the Godavari has transformed the agricultural economy of talukas such as Shrirampur, Kopargaon, Rahuri, Newasa and some part of Sangamner from one of the subsistence into that of prosperity and plenty. On the other hand, in 7 out of 13 talukas in the district, not even one-tenth of the cultivable area is irrigated. These talukas are Nagar, Karjat, Pathardi, Parner, Jamkhed, Akole and some part of Shevgaon. Under this situation, the district is divided into two parts i.e. the northern and the southern. The northern part is developed with assured irrigation water facilities while the southern part is found to be prone to scarcity conditions. The Ahmednagar district gets rain from the South-West Monsoon, but the distribution of rainfall is uneven. It has been the experience that out of 5 years, 3 years are scarcity years. During 1987-88, out of the net area under irrigation, 38.64 per cent area was under surface irrigation and 61.36 per cent area under well irrigation. Out of the irrigated area, 15.99 per cent was under the sugarcane crop. Especially, cultivation of sugarcane was increased in the northern part of the district with the availability of canal irrigation facilities. This resulted into establishment of a number of sugar factories in the northern part of the district.