ECONOMIC STATUS OF WOMEN LABORERS ENGAGED IN PADDY TRANSPLANTING ACTIVITY IN ALLAHABAD REGION OF UTTAR PRADESH

Razia Parvez. Women contribute 50-60% of labour in farm production in India. There is evidence to suggest that if agriculture were focused on women, outputs could increase by as much as 10-20%, the ecological balance could be restored, and food security of communities improved. India has a predominantly agrarian economy. The 70% of her population is rural; of those households, 60% engage in agriculture as their main source of income. It has always been India's most important economic sector. In this important agricultural sector woman plays a vital role, because it is largely a household enterprise Kavya Dashora (2010). The objective of the study was to study the demographic profile and economic status of women labourers engaged in paddy transplanting activity. Fifty one women labourers were selected for the study. They were aged between 20-60 years. A set of Interview schedule was design to measure their economical status of women labourers. Total 76.5 percent women labourers were illiterate, 15.7 percent women labourers were educated primary school, 1.9 percent women abourers were Junior High School and 5.9 percent women labourers were High School. 31.4 percent women abourerswere having family income falling under Rs. 3000-6000/-, 25.5 percent women labourers were having family income falling under Rs. 6000-9000/-, 21.6 percent women labourers family income was falling under Rs. 9000-12000/-, and 15.7 percent women labourers family income was falling under Rs. 12000-14000/-, a very minimul ie. 5.9 percent women labours‟ family income was falling under Rs. 14000-18000/-. Approximately 55 percent women abourers‟ main occupation was Agriculture, 21.6 percent women labourers occupation was labour and 11.8 percent women labourers main occupation was Agricultural labourers, whereas 7.8 percent women labourers occupation was Animal Husbandry and a very minimul 1.9 percent women labourers were in Service and Business. Thus the women abourers economical condition was very critical. The study has suggested that a multisectoral integrated programme for promoting agricultural activities in the rural areas according to their existing conditions, available resources and with the help of nearby institutions should be started to meet the challenge of sustainable development in the Allahabad Region of Uttar Pradesh.

Women contribute 50-60% of labour in farm production in India. There is evidence to suggest that if agriculture were focused on women, outputs could increase by as much as 10-20%, the ecological balance could be restored, and food security of communities improved. India has a predominantly agrarian economy. The 70% of her population is rural; of those households, 60% engage in agriculture as their main source of income. It has always been India's most important economic sector. In this important agricultural sector woman plays a vital role, because it is largely a household enterprise Kavya Dashora (2010). The objective of the study was to study the demographic profile and economic status of women labourers engaged in paddy transplanting activity. Fifty one women labourers were selected for the study. They were aged between 20-60 years. A set of Interview schedule was design to measure their economical status of women labourers. Total 76.5 percent women labourers were illiterate, 15.7 percent women labourers were educated primary school, 1.9 percent women abourers were Junior High School and 5.9 percent women labourers were High School. 31.4 percent women abourerswere having family income falling under Rs. 3000-6000/-, 25.5 percent women labourers were having family income falling under Rs. 6000-9000/-, 21.6 percent women labourers family income was falling under Rs. 9000-12000/-, and 15.7 percent women labourers family income was falling under Rs. 12000-14000/-, a very minimul ie. 5.9 percent women labours" family income was falling under Rs. 14000-18000/-. Approximately 55 percent women abourers" main occupation was Agriculture, 21.6 percent women labourers occupation was labour and 11.8 percent women labourers main occupation was Agricultural labourers, whereas 7.8 percent women labourers occupation was Animal Husbandry and a very minimul 1.9 percent women labourers were in Service and Business. Thus the women abourers economical condition was very critical. The study has suggested that a multisectoral integrated programme for promoting agricultural activities in the rural areas according to their existing conditions, available resources and with the help of nearby institutions should be started to meet the challenge of sustainable development in the Allahabad Region of Uttar Pradesh.

Introduction:-
Farm mechanization is getting some importance due to urbanization and globalization now days. Half of the population in India is engaged in farm activities uses the muscle power to increase the productivity of agriculture. Farm mechanization helps us to make efficient use of inputs, improvement in quality of produce and safety and comfort of women farmers, reduction in loss of produce, drudgery of women farmers. Women are more vulnerable as compared to men in physical aspects. But they are performing the most difficult operations in agriculture and allied sectors. Majority of the women who perform the agricultural activities belong to low socio-economic group. Women contribute 50-60% of labor in farm production in India. Women in India are major producers of food in terms of value, volume and number of hours worked. Nearly 63 percent of all economically active men were engaged in agriculture as compared to 78 per cent of women. Almost 50 percent of rural female workers were classified as agricultural laborers and 37% as cultivators. About 70 percent of farm work was performed by women. It is observed that women play a significant and crucial role in agricultural development and allied fields including, main crop production, live-stock production, horticulture, post-harvesting operations, agro/social forestry, fishing etc.; it is a fact long taken for granted but ignored since ages. In this paper an attempt has been made to study the role of women in agriculture and their economic status. Agriculture is directly tied to issues such as economic independence, decision-making abilities, society and access to education and health services and this manner has created externalities such as poverty and marginalization, and compounded issues of gender inequality. The problems of women in agriculture resemble the "progressive set of problems" that other marginalized communities face in the general population, but in a more acute and distressing manner. These problems relate to land ownership, security of tenure, land quality issues in cases where land ownership is assured, and land management issues in terms of agriculture and the support systems it requires. Any changes in land ownership and agricultural patterns affect women far more than men (positive or negative), given the existing gender roles that women are expected to fulfill, mainly related to management of the household in their reproductive rolesfuel wood collection, fodder collection, livestock tending in general, food security needs and so on. The women perform the maximum farm operations thereby contributing a lot towards the uplifitment of the economic and social status of their families and financially, accelerating the pace of rural development (Singh 2003) Rural women have been intensively involved in agriculture and its allied fields. They perform numerous labour intensive jobs such as weeding, hoeing, grass cutting, picking, and cotton stick collections. Women"s contribution to the farm sector has been ignored and inadequately understood. In our economy, very few scientific attempts have been made to examine the actual participation of female labour in crop production and other subsidiary activities at the farm level. (Vinod Sharma 2005) In spite of the major role played by women in different agricultural and allied activities, their role in the decision making is negligible. They are facing economical problem in their life and every day tolerate these mental, physical drudgery problems. In addition there are many other problems which the rural farm women are facing such as, difficulties in carrying major agricultural operations, unhygienic condition in the field, time management between farm and household activities. Therefore a study was design with the objectives to demographic profile and economic status of farm women laborers engaged in paddy transplanting activity.

Materials and Methods:-
The present study entitled, "Economic Status of Women labourers Engaged in Paddy Transplanting Activity in Allahabad Region of Uttar Pradesh" was undertaken to study the economic status of women labourers. Total 51 Women labourers were selected from three main Blocks, namely Chaka (Trans Yamuna), Bahadurpur (Trans Ganga) and Kaudhihar Blocks (Kanpur Road) were selected. The villages "Baswar", "Dadri", "Maduka" and "Murlicot", were selected from Chaka Block, "Buduruddin", "Lodva" and "Yarnva" from Bahadurpur block and "Ahiran ka Pura", "Lalbihar" and "Umari" from Kaudhihar Block were selected. A presented interview schedule which includes open ended and close ended questions was used to collect the data regarding their demographic profile as well as their economic status. Questions were arranged in sections as per the objectives of the study. The women labourers shared their problems related economical status during paddy transplanting activity. Frequency percentage was used for the data interpretation.

Results and Discussion:-
The results of the present study in accordance with the objectives have been derived by the use of required methodology. Following are the main heads under which the study has been discussed. Information Regarding Selected Blocks:-Table presented below shows the blocks selected for the survey.  1 shows that in Chaka Block, the majority 21.6 percent women laborers belonged to OBC category, 9.8 percent laborers belonged to SC category whereas 3.9 percent women laborers belonged to ST caste category. In Bahadurpur Block, the majority 25.5 percent women laborers belonged to SC category and 7.8 percent women laborers belonged to OBC caste category. In Kaudhihar block, the majority 19.6 percent women laborers belonged to OBC category and minimum of 11.8 percent women laborers belonged to SC category respectively.

Education
The data presented in table 2 reveals that the women laborers of Chaka Block, the majority 27.5 percent women laborers were illiterate, 2.9 percent women laborers were high school whereas 1.9 percent women laborers were educated only up to primary and junior high school. The farm women of Bahadurpur Block, the majority 25.5 percent women laborers were illiterate whereas 5.9 percent women laborers were educated up to primary level and very minimum ie.

Family Size
Almost 50 percent of women labourers in tree blocks were having small (1-5 members) and medium (6-8 members) family size.

Family Type
All the women labourers of three blocks were having nuclear family only. Not even a single family was having joint family. .9 3 5.9 7 13.7 The data presented in table 4 reveals that the in Chaka Block the majority 19.6 percent women laborers husband occupation were farming,7.8 percent women laborers husband"s occupation were wage labor 3.9 percent women laborers husband"s occupation were business and as well as private service. In Bhadurpur Block 15.7 percent women laborers husband"s occupation was farming and 7.8 percent women laborers husband"s occupation was wage labor whereas very minimum 1.9 percent woman laborers husband occupation was government service. In Kaudihar Block 9.8 percent women laborers husband"s occupation were business 7.8 percent women laborers husband"s occupation was wage labor and farming and 5.9 percent women laborers husband"s occupation was private service.

Mode of Payment
Graph 2 -Distribution of women laborers according to their mode of payment.
The data presented in graph 2 revels that from selected each three blocks the out of total majority 35.3 percent women laborers were getting in kind 5 kg wheat per day in Chaka Block, in Bhadurpur Block 33.3 percent women laborers were getting 2 ½ kg wheat per day and in Kaudhihar Block 31.4 percent women laborers were also getting in kind 6 kg wheat per day.

Monthly Family Income
The table presented below shows the distribution of women laborers according to their monthly family income.

Land Holding Categories
The graph presented below shows the distribution of women laborers according to their land holding categories.

Graph 3-Distribution of women laborers according to their landholding categories
The above graph 3 indicates that the cent-percent women laborers was not having their own land for farming as they were landless in the above selected blocks during paddy transplanting activities.

Main Occupation
The table presented below shows the distribution of women laborers according to their Main Occupation. The data presented in Table 5 reveals that in Chaka Block 19.6 percent women laborer family"s main occupation was agriculture, whereas 13.7 percent women laborers main occupation was labor and very minimum 1.9 percent women laborers main occupation was Agriculture laborers. In Bahadurpur Block the majority of 13.7 percent women laborers main occupation was Agriculture whereas 7.8 percent women laborers main occupation was labor and very minimum 1.9 percent women laborers main occupation was service.
In Kaudhihar Block the majority of 21.5percent women laborers main occupation was Agriculture whereas 3.9percent women laborers main occupation was Agriculture Laborers and Animal husbandry and very minimum 1.9 percent women laborers main occupation was business.