Ashok. K. a and Dr. Pallavi. S. Kusugal, International Journal Of

Ashok. K. A and Dr. Pallavi. S. Kusugal, International Journal of Research in Engineering, IT and Social Sciences, ISSN 2250-0588, Impact Factor: 6.565, Volume 08 Issue 09, September 2018, Page 17-22 Economic Status of Women Beedi Rollers – with Special Reference to Tumakuru District

Ashok. K. A1 and Dr. Pallavi. S. Kusugal2 1(Assistant Professor of Economics & Research scholar, Government First Grade College Madhugiri, Tumakuru District, Karnataka State, India) 2(Assistant Professor, Department of Studies and Research in Economics, Tumkur University, Tumkuru, Karnataka State, India)

I. INTRODUCTION Women constitute half of the global population and one third of the labour force, but receive only one- tenth of the world income and own less than one percent of the world’s property. 77 percent of them belong to the rural area. The major occupation of rural women is agriculture and related activities. The women of the middle class and poor are not eager to do their role in fear of social backlash. Their participation in the formal work are very low in India, these kinds of female workers substantially preferred the low skilled and low wage works. The Women workers in the rural economy are in informal sector are far away from the developmental process, the female workers having no social protection and they are working low earning nature of works. Indian society predominately male dominated society, women are limited to house hold activities and most of the women are suffering nutritious problem, they can’t fit for the hard works. In the era of globalization, women entered the labour market in greater numbers than ever before. They did so in a situation dominated by the watchwords of liberalization, privatization and flexibilisation, women are often more vulnerable than men, disproportionately concentrated in low wage sectors or occupations and often segregated into the informal sector and unorganized sector. The real fruit of the development and government benefits are not reaching to this vulnerable class of the economy. Female contribution to the nation is a vital. Healthy and harmonies growth of the nation would not possible unless women should economically sensitize. The economic sensitize means empowerment of women economic status. So The Eminent Scholar and Noble Laureate Dr. Amarthya Sen have highlighted the Inclusive growth, which means everyone should participate in the development process of the economy. In this regarding irrespective of caste, genders, race, religion and regions should involve in the development process. Beedi Industries one of the home based industries in the India; it is providing employment opportunities at local level. Beedi is considered as the poor man’s smoke, Karnataka is one of the main producers of the Beedi and it is exporting to other Foreign. This industries is the female oriented industries, women and their family members in their free time involve in the rolling. In many of the families the Beedi rolling is the main earning source for the family. In the Beedi industries the women contribution is vital, the Economic Status of the Beedi Rolling women’s are deprived. Hence the study reveals the economic status of Beedi workers. Beedi is a forest product and also called the poor man’s smoke or poor man’s cigarette. It is made up of Tendu leaves. A standard beedi contains about 0.2 grams of rolled tobacco flakes. Beedi industry is a employment and skill orient industry in India. It is not new industry; its origin goes back to the Adiwasi and Tribal’s community. The Beedi industries are spread in Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Mostly the Economically and Socially backward populations are engaged in this industry. The Beedi Industry is one of the biggest cottage industries in India, today. Its manufacturing process is very simple. It is labour intensive and oriented. It provide employment opportunities, The industries generate production at low capital cost, mostly use local skills facilitate balanced regional growth and prevent the migration of labour to the metropolitan areas. The beedi industry is now spread all over the India. It provides a part job; it is supplementary source of income to the millions of vulnerable section of the society, especially for women are actively participating. It is cottage industry which does not need any infrastructure moreover. It is easier to learn the skill of rolling. Beedi work does not require any formal training and carried out at any time. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi is of the view that full Employment of human resources is basic need of a country. It is true that national income will increase if each and every person skill is employed fully. In the words of the honorable Ex-Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh “The key to our success in employment lies in the success of manufacturing in the small scale sector.” The Beedi rolling is informal sector of the Indian Economy. http://indusedu.org Page 17

The availability of women labour at comparatively cheaper rates than men workers is a blessing for this sector. Beedi rolling is one of the most popular amongst unorganized industries specially, in some parts of the country. Women constitute a very high percentage of labour force in the industry. The deft fingers of the women are suited to the work of beedi rolling, besides, women are considered has sincere and hard worker. Beedi rolling is a home based work and entirely a manual process. There are no machines and sophisticated equipments to manufacture the beedies, in the free time family members with children will undertake at their home. The main steps involved in the production of a beedi are cutting the beedi leaves, Rolling the beedi, rewinding the thread, Filling the tobacco flacks, Folding the beedi head. Cutting the beedi leaves which is the first step, it require some skills because the maximum number of pieces cut from the leaf depends on the skills because the maximum number of pieces cut from the leaf depends on the skill of the worker. Rolling the beedi leaf with tobacco is the main job in the process-tobacco is to be rolled in the leaf and tied with the thread. The folding of the beedi head, which is the final step, can be done by family members; the complete beedis are then bundled and sent to the suppler. The Raw Materials for Manufacturing Beedies In the beedi industry the important raw- materials used are , Jardi, Tendu leaves, a paper for labeling and packing, cotton thread or yarn, charcoal, wheat and tamarind powder liquid or gum and gunny bags. We can know briefly the raw- materials. The Jardi The Jardi is the main raw material for the beedis rolling; this tobacco is given Khed and Baroda District of the Gujarat State and in Nipani area of the Karnataka State. More than 80 percentage of the total production of beedi tobacco is done by the Gujarat State alone. The anagad tobacco is nothing but the broken pieces of tobacco leaves along with dust. Thus in order to this the sieving operations are performed and the leaves are also broken the size required. The tobacco flakes are then put on the sieves wire nettings for further processing and the available flakes are winnowed by means of a winnowing fan so as to separate the dust. These purified flakes reduced to a small sized are known as Jardi. In the final stage Jardi flakes are again crushed into small pieces by operating sieves of smaller gauges which given jardi, it requires further addition of Rawal, Which is the most essential components of jardi that gives taste in smoking and keeps the beedi burning. Tendu Leaves The Tendu leaves are grown in the forest of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and some Parts of Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka. Tendu leaves are remarkable associates of beedies. They have in fact given birth to the beedi Industry in India. The collection of tendu leaves in the country is approximately, total India 3,20,000 tonnes. 100 percent, Madhya Pradesh 46% Contribution, Maharashtra 16%, Andhra Pradesh -13%, Orissa-10%, Bihar-8%, it is also exported to Sri lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Women workers are main part in the Beedi rolling, children are likely to get influence by their mothers. As a result the mothers can easily involve the children in to the rolling, this may deprive children’s education, expose to health hazardous like TB, Lung Cancer etc and may lead to the vicious cycle of poverty. Most of the women rollers are not enrolled for the life insurance, but they are exposed to the health hazardous. Most of the female rollers are not benefited the provident fund, new pension scheme, health insurance etc. Objective of the Study 1. To Study the Economic Status of female Beedi Rollers in the Tumakuru District. 2. To analyze the nature and extent of employment opportunities for female Beedi Rollers. 3. To study the various problems facing female Beedi Rollers. 4. To analyze the social security programmes provided by the government for the female Beedi Rollers. Hypotheses 1. Female Beedi workers are having good Employment Opportunities at their local. 2. Female Beedi workers are facing work related Health problems. 3. Some of the Female Beedi workers family entirely depend on Beedi rolling for family earning, no other source. 4. Female Beedi workers earning are meager, it is not sufficient to meet the family financial demand.

II. METHODOLOGY The proposed research study is purely based on using Primary Data and the secondary data. The Primary data collected through the framed Questionnaire and quizzed 50 the women beedi rolling women in the Kamagondanahalli of the Sira Taluk, Tumakuru District and obtained their feedback. The Secondary Data are collected from the different studies, Surveys and Government documents.

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Profile of the Study Area Karnataka is facing serious rainfall deficit since last 2 years due to El-Niño effect. It created a drought in some parts of the Karnataka, specially Hydrabad- Karnataka and open dry land (Bayaluseeme) Regions. Bidar, Gulbarga, Yadhagiri, Bellary, Raichur and Bagalkote Districts of the Karnataka and Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Chikkaballapura, Kolar, Bangaluru Rural Districts. Agriculture and allied activities are the major occupations of these regions; due to drought in the region the agricultural activities are declined. The unemployment is the major problem and the peoples are facing sever poverty. The Tumkur District is the one of the Second largest district (in area) in the Karnataka state, the district covers under the Dry land area(Bayaluseeme), eight Taluks of the Tumkur District are identified in the Nanjundappa Committee Report as More and Most Backward taluks, which was constituted to study the regional imbalances in Karnataka by the Karnataka Government in the year of 2000. Among that Sira Taluk considered has most backward taluk list. In this Taluk no large and medium scale industries are established. Some agro based small scale industries are in production function. Hence many of the peoples are depended for their livelihood on beedi rolling. Tumkur district is located in the eastern belt in the southern half of the state. Spanning an area of 10598 sq.km. Average rainfall in the district is 687.9 mm. this amount of rainfall is subjected to considered fluctuations from year to year. Sira Taluk in the Tumkur is most backward area, majority of the Muslim and Hindu women’s are engaging in the Beedi Rolling activities. Sira Taluk is one of the main Taluk in the Tumkur District, Previously it was in the Chitradurga District, and in 1866 it was shifted to the Tumkur District. Sira Taluk comprises of five Hoblis, these are Kasaba, Bukkapatna, Kallambella, Hulikunte, Gowdagere, and the main crop of the Taluk is groundnut. No major industries are established in this area. The Taluk is listed as most backward Taluk in the Dr. D.M. Nanjundappa Committee report, which was to formed to studied the regional imbalances in the year of 2000. Poverty and misery is prevails in the Taluk, no irrigation projects. Majority of the population depends on the agriculture and allied activities. Beedi Rolling is the one of the Home based cottage Industry in this Taluk. The peoples are actively involved and considered, Beedi rolling is the alternative means of the survival. Table – 01- Number of Beedi Industries Functioning in Tumakuru District Sl. No Name of the taluk No of Industries 01 Tumakuru Taluk 03 02 Kunigal Taluk 07 03 Gubbi Taluk 03 04 Sira Taluk 29 Total 42 As per the Tumakuru District Labour Department records total 42 Beedi Industries are function in the District, in that the Tumakuru Taluk 03 industries, Kunigal Taluk 07 Industries, Gubbi Taluk 03 Beedi Industries are in production process and in Sira Taluk itself 29 Beedi Industries are functioning. Table -02- Number of Home Based Beedi Rollers, Working in the Tumakuru District Sl.No Name of the Taluk Number of Home based Beedi Rollers Total Male Female 01 Tumkur 195 1092 1287 02 Kunigal 410 900 1310 03 Gubbi 10 125 135 04 Sira 50 6950 7000 Total 665 9067 9732 In the above table-2, total 9732 Beedi Rollers are working in the District as per the Labour Department record. In those 665 male rollers and 9067 female rollers, the Sira Taluk having more number, 6950 Beedi rollers in different part of the Taluk, next to that the Tumakuru Taluk is having 1092 female rollers, Kunigal Taluk in the third place and Gubbi in the last. Female beedi rollers are in large number compared to the male counterpart, hence the female Beedi Rollers are in pathetic conditions, and they are the backbone for their family in many of the family. Their economic conditions are jeopardizing. Highest number of female rollers are concentrated in the sira Taluk only, next Kunigal and Tumkur Taluk. Beedi rollers are below the poverty line. Major Problems facing by the Female Beedi Rollers 1. Female Beedi Rollers working with on contract, the job security depends on the supplier discretion. 2. Large Number of the Female Beedi Rollers are not registered under the Indian Govt. 1966 Beedi-Cigar labour Law. 3. Female Beedi Rollers earning is meager, it is not sufficient to meet the family expenses. 4. Absence of labor laws execution to protect the Beedi Rollers Rights. 5. Inadequate social security measures to protect the female Beedi Rollers. 6. Female Beedi Rollers, rolling Beedies in their Home premises and unhygienic conditions. http://indusedu.org Page 19

7. Female Beedi Rollers are chances to exposing Health Hazardous and its consequences. 8. Most of the rollers are illiterates or school dropouts. 9. Female Beedi Rollers are in unorganized status, they are not aware of the labor organization. 10. Female Beedi workers are more chances to expose, Tobacco related health problems. 11. Female Beedi Rollers have not any other Income sources. 12. Based on these problems and research purpose quizzed 50 Women Beedi Rollers in Kamagondanahally, Sira Taluk of Tumakuru District. Their outcome here follows; Table -03 - Female Beedi Rollers working on contract, the job security depends on the supplier discretion. Yes No No of Respondents Preferred 51 Nil Percentage 100% --- Table – 3 shows the Nature of job security, the whole 51 Women Beedi rollers preferred the security of their job depends on the discretion of the contractor, whether contractor have the confidence they will continue in the rolling job. It indicates that the women Beedi rollers in jeopardize. Table -04 contractor company is registered under the Govt. of India Beedi-Cigar 1966 Act Yes No No of Respondents Preferred 39 12 Percentage 76% 24% Table -4 shows, the 39 rollers preferred positively and 12 rollers preferred negatively, 76% of the women rollers are working in not registered under the Govt. of India Beedi-Cigar 1966 act. Remaining 24 % of the respondents are working in the registered company. Table -05 If you’re earning from the Beedi Rolling is enough to meet the Family Expenses Yes No No of Respondents Preferred 7 44 Percentage 14% 86% Table – 05 indicate the earning capacity of the Women Beedi Rollers Family. The 86%respondents are responded, the present earning from the Beedi rolling is not enough to meet the Expenses of the family and 14% women are responded it is enough to meet their expenses. Table -06 Aware of the labour laws to protect the interest of the Beedi Rollers Yes No No of Respondents Preferred 5 46 Percentage 10% 90% Table – 06 shows the prevailing labor laws in India to protect the women beedi rollers. in that 90% responded no such law are protecting the interest of the women beedi rollers and remaining 10% are aware of the labour laws and its benefit. Table -07 Benefit from Social Security measures Sl. No Social Security benefits Yes Percentage No Percentage 01 P F facilities Nil --- 51 100% 02 General Insurance 05 10% 46 90% 03 Health Insurance Nil --- 51 100% 04 Children’s Scholarship Nil --- 51 100% 05 New Pension Scheme Nil --- 51 100% Table – 07 explain the different types of the Social Security measures for Beedi rollers. In the present survey only 5 Beedi Rollers are have the General Insurance themselves, but the contractor has not provide any social security measure. The Beedi Labour Scholarship also withdrawn from the govt from last year. PF facilities, Health Insurance, New Pension Scheme and ESI are not provided by the contractor or government. It indicates that their life is in pathetic condition. No Social Securities, Women Beedi Workers are in distressed. Table -08 any spacious place to roll the Beedi Yes No No of Respondents Preferred Nil 51 Percentage --- 100% Table – 08 shows the working conditions of the Women Beedi Rollers. 100% of the rollers are no spacious and separate place to roll the Beedi, they are rolling the Beedies in their small houses after their domestic works. It is creating unhealthy atmosphere. Table -09 Women Beedi rollers are chances to expose health consequences Yes No No of Respondents Preferred 24 27 Percentage 47% 53% http://indusedu.org Page 20

Table – 09 explains the chances of Beedi Rollers Chances to Health Consequences. 47% of the respondents are accepted that the chance for health consequences and remaining 53% of the Rollers does not expressed; they are illiterates and are not aware of the tobacco consequences. Recently Govt of India banned all kinds of Tobacco and its products. But these Women Beedi Rollers are not aware of that. Table -10 Educational qualification of Beedi workers Sl. No Qualification Numbers of rollers Percentage 01 Illiterates 20 40 02 Up to 7th Standard 17 34 03 8th – 10 Standard 11 22 04 II PUC 2 4 Table – 10 shows the educational qualifications of the Women Beedi Rollers in the surveyed area. Majority of the rollers have been illiterates, 40% and 34% of the Rollers are had studied up to 7th Standard, 22 % of the Women Beedi Rollers had studied in-between 8th – 10th Standard. 2 Women Beedi rollers are passed the II PUC. It indicates that the majority of Women Beedi Rollers are illiterates and School dropouts, so they are not aware of the exploits of the contractors. Table -11 Enrolled in any labour organization Yes No No of Respondents Preferred 51 Nil Percentage 100% --- Table – 11 shows that all Women Beedi Rollers are not enrolled in any type of labour organization. It means Women Beedi Rollers are not have the bargaining power with the contracting company, they are exploiting in many type. They are not aware to organize themselves. Table -12 Kind of the health consequences Yes No No of Respondents Preferred Nil 51 Percentage --- 100% Table – 12 reflect the status of the Women, who are working with Tobacco, they have chances of Tobacco related health consequences. The all Women Beedi Rollers are not facing any kind of the Health consequences. But they are not aware of the Tobacco related health consequences. Table -13sources of Income, other than the Beedi Rolling Yes No No of Respondents Preferred 26 25 Percentage 51% 49%

Table – 13 Shows, other Sources of Income of the Women Beedi Rollers, other than the Beedi Rolling, 51% of the rollers are preferred other Source of Income for their family, the Income of their Husbands, Childrens and other family members, but these sources of Income are meager to meet the family expenses, they are earning through labour workers and other unskilled works. The 49% of the Women Beedi Workers preferred that, they are surviving only from the earnings of the Beedi Rolling. So the Economic Status of the Women Beedi Rollers are pathetic. Suggestion 1. Beedi Rolling Job should be regularize. 2. Should bring Beedi Rolling Women’s under the New Pension Scheme. 3. Should provide Beedi Rolling Women’s the Provident fund facilities. 4. Beedi Rolling Women’s, Should include under the Health Insurance Benefits. 5. Beedi Rolling Women’s, Should bring under the Continues Education Programme. 6. Beedi Rolling Women’s, Should register compulsory under the Beedi-Cigar Act of 1966, Govt.of India. 7. Education Scholarship should provide to the Beddi Rolling Women’s Children’s. 8. Government should train up skills to those Beedi Rolling Women’s.

III. CONCLUSION The women beedi rollers are doing work at their home and there is no separate area for the work. Beedi rolling is the main source of the family income, average daily income depends on the size of the family. The beedi rollers, roll the beedis at their free time along with the regular family works, usually they work in between 8 Am to 10 Pm. Women beedi workers are chances to expose health problems due their beedi work, no medical facilities and medical allowance for their work. None of the workers are not getting benefiting of Social Security facilities like ESI, provident fund and health insurance. Even though the overall conditions of the women beedi rollers are pathetic and they are exploiting and are not aware of the beedi acts and laws of the governments. The http://indusedu.org Page 21

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License Ashok. K. A and Dr. Pallavi. S. Kusugal, International Journal of Research in Engineering, IT and Social Sciences, ISSN 2250-0588, Impact Factor: 6.565, Volume 08 Issue 09, September 2018, Page 17-22 worst part however is that helplessness and poverty, with no alternative work prospects – impels them to suffer. The severe back to back drought from the last two year in the area is one more cause. The quality of material supplied by the supplier is not good then naturally; the beedis rolled also cannot be expected to be of standard quality. Most of the workers are not provided the identity cards or other documents which are required for obtaining benefits under the law. The conditions under which the women beedi rollers work is very poor and unhygienic and most of the families are live in one small room, where they roll the beedis and also cook and sleep. Children are exposed to all the hazards of tobacco. To overcome all problems the government should act towards the empowerment of the Women Beedi rollers. The govt should strictly implement the minimum wages and social benefits to the women beedi rollers. Compulsory registration of all Beedi workers and issue ID Cards to all of them. Provide health and other social benefits like insurance, Health Insurance, widow pension for widow, Provident fund or New Pension Scheme to the rollers. Education facilities for women rollers at the night time for their wellbeing. Government should provide the scholarships to the Beedi workers childrens, should establish the Beedi Welfare Fund and avoid the Exploitations. Government should improve the overall conditions of the Women Beedi Workers Economic Status. Beedi rollers are below poverty line. Change will be hard. It won’t happen overnight, it is a long time process, hence the women empower may be possible only economically sensitized the women. Every Human being is born with a talent of his own, may be invisible, later they may be highly talented in his particular area and becomes skilled.

IV. REFERENCES [1] Best Practice Foundation, “The Beedi Industry in India (2001): an Overview-Improving working conditions and Employment opportunities for women workers in Beedi industry”, Karnataka. [2] Cornelius Paul, “A Study of Indian Textile exports with special reference to eco-friendly aspect , Page 169, Mahatma Gandhi University, Keral. [3] Das.S.K,(2000), DG, Labour Welfare, Ministry of Labour, Report prepared for ILO, October 2000 as cited by ILO’s Beedi Sector in India: A Note. [4] Dharmalingam(1993), A. ‘Female Beedi Workers in a South Indian Village’ Economic and Political Weekly, July 3, 1993 [5] Economic Survey (2014-15). Ministry of Finance, Govt. of Karnataka, Karnataka. [6] Eleventh Five Year Plan (2012), “Employment Perspectives and Labour Policy” Chapter – 4, Planning Commission, New Delhi. [7] Kumar, Senthil and Subburethina Bharathi,P(2010), “A Study on Occupational health hazards among Women Beedi rollers in Tamil Nadu” India International Journal of Current Research Vol.11,pp.177-122, December. [8] Labour Department Report, “Report on Beddi Labour Status 2015-16”,Tumkur District Labour Office, Tumkur. [9] Makkina Suneeta, “Status of Women agricultural labour” A Case Study of Andhra Pradesh, Nagarjuna University, Andhra Pradesh. [10] Michael.K.A, “ A Study on Problems and prospects of small scale industries in Thiruchirappalli Taluk, Thiruchirappalli Districts”, Page.2,3,4, Bharatidasan University. [11] Mysore Gazetteer (1956), Chapter- 1, Page No 3,4, Tumkur District. [12] Nanjundappa Committee Report (2001), Committee constituted to study on Regional Imbalance in Karnataka. Government of Karnataka. [13] Population Census ( 2011), Population Census Document, Registrar of Census , Ministry of Home, Govt of India. New Delhi [14] Rustagi, Preet (2001), “Survey of studies on Beedi Industry: with Special Emphasis on Women and Child Labour”, CWDS, New Delhi. [15] Samir Ghose (2014), “Beedi Rolling and Self-employment: A Case Study of Nadia” Volume 52, Number 20, February 15, 2014, Southern Economist. [16] UNDP (2015), United Nation Development Project,“Human Development Report”, UNDP – India.

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