Sometimes wages are paid to the casual labourers according to the skill and strain involved in the concerned agricultural operations. The daily wages paid to skilled workers including the workers such as carpenters, blacksmiths, cobblers, etc., are given in table No. 25.

Annual Servants.—Annual servants known as chakar or nagaria are employed in Bhandara district by those who can provide continuous and regular employment throughout the year. Traditionally a chakar is at the disposal of the landlord practically for all the hours of the day and night for doing all types of farm work. The contract of employment between the worker and the landlord generally holds good for a period of one year. It can be renewed at the option of both the parties. The number of big landholders who need the services of chakars has been gradually on the decline in the district. Consequently the system of maintaining annual servants is not much in vogue. But it was very popular in the past as could be seen from the account reproduced below from the old Gazetteer of Bhandara district.

Farm Servants.—"Farm-servants are generally engaged by the year and are known as chakar or nagaria. Up till recently they were always paid in grain, but in the vicinity of Bhandara cash wages are often now substituted, and the rate has risen to five or six rupees a month. During the last year or two there has been an acute demand for labour as the population was largely depleted by emigration during the scarcity season of 1903. Many of the labouring classes went to Berar, where good wages were obtainable, and have not returned. At the same time the construction of the new railway and the opening of the manganese mines have created an extra demand and raised the level of wages. As a consequence farm-servants and labourers are in a very advantageous position. Sometimes they stipulate that their employer shall sell them rice at a seer per rupee cheaper than the market rate. And if they work after sundown they expect to get the evening meal. This state of things is however mainly confined to the Chandpur tract in which the mines are situated, and elsewhere labour is still obtainable at a moderate wage. In the Bhandara tahsil grain wages are stated to be 8 small kuros or 120 lbs. a month of unhusked rice and Rs. 4 as an annual present, known as jiwan. Besides this the farm-servant gets a bhara or headload of rice-stalks at harvest containing from 15 to 30 lbs. of grain, and a khara containing from 30 to 40 lbs. when the grain is carried home after threshing. The farm-servant also receives a pair of shoes and a blanket every year and is allowed to take the gleanings of rice fields and the sweeping of the threshing floor. He also gets food at three or four festivals and similar presents at the harvest of wheat and juar if his employer grows these crops. All this works out to little more than Rs. 3 a month. Another wage is 10 small khandis or about 2,500 lbs. of unhusk rice a year and four rupees. Taking unhusked rice at 60 lbs. to the rupee this works out to Rs. 46 a year or a little under four rupees a month. The farm-servant's wife is often bound to work for his employer when required. She gets ordinary wages and also an annual retaining fee of a cartload of wood, eight annas worth each of salt and chillies and 200 bundles of grass for thatching her house. In return for this she may nor work for anyone else when her husband's master requires her services. Grain wages are said to have increased by about 20 per cent, in the last ten years. Occasionally the proprietor sows about half an acre of land for the wives of his farm-servants, who cut the crop and divide the produce between them. A head farm-servant is called awari and is paid a little more than the others." [Central Provinces District Gazetteers, Bhandara District, 1908, pp. 112-13.]

Balutedars.— Sometimes artisans of the village are actively connected with the agriculturists at various stages of farm operations. They are known as balutedars of traditional village economy. Generally, they are paid annually in kind for the services they render to landholders. These artisans include carpenter, blacksmith, cobbler, barber, washerman and other artisans like rope maker, etc. Of these the first four play an important role in the agricultural operations.

The system of baluta payment is gradually declining and there is a marked tendency to make payments in cash rather than in kind. The youngsters in artisans family do not enter into baluta contracts. They prefer to perform their services independently and for cash rather than be tied down to landholders for payment in kind. Baluta is usually paid at the time of harvest. The old Gazetteer of Bhandara district has given the following description of baluta system then prevalent in the district.

Village Servants.— " A village menial is called Aikari and the village servants are known collectively as Aiaikari. The Lohar and Barhai or blacksmith and carpenter are each paid 6 small kuros or 90 lbs. of unhusked rice annually for repairing the iron and wooden implements of agriculture. Sometimes the rate is a little higher and they also receive presents of a few pounds more at sowing and harvest-time. For making the share of a new plough or bakhar the blacksmith is paid 15 lbs. of grain for his labour, the iron being supplied; for a new yoke 7½ lbs. are paid. The washerman and barber are now often paid according to services rendered. If they receive an annual due, it is 75 to 90 lbs. of unhusked rice or the barber may be paid 16 lbs. for each adult male in the family. " [Central Provinces District Gazetteers, Bhandara District, 1908, p. 114,]