MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS

FLOUR MILLS

In the past, it was a common sight mostly in villages and in many cases in towns to find women singing melodious songs called ovyas while grinding grain with the help of a pair of grinding stone wheels in the early hours of the morning or at dawn.

This phenomenon is now fast disappearing especially in towns and big villages due to the introduction of modern machines in the flour milling units which came to be established in the early years of this century. The development of flour milling was extremely convenient and was a necessary corollary of the introduction of an era of mechanization.

In the big villages, generally the flour mills work on oil engines whereas in the towns and cities, they work on power and are found in large numbers. There are a few places where no flour mills could be found so that people in such places go to the neighbouring towns or villages and get their grain milled, generally on bazar days.

The flour mills undertake grinding of grain, chillis, turmeric, crystal salt etc. Most of the flour mills are small in size, catering to the needs of the customers staying in nearby locality.

As per the 1951 Census, there were 114 persons engaged in this occupation, and were called as 'millers of cereals and pulses'. Among them, 93 were men and 21 were women.

But as per the 1961 Census, 805 persons (786 men, 19 women) were engaged in this occupation and the category was called ' those employed in production of rice, atta, flour, etc., by milling, dehusking, and processing of crops and food-grains'.

The main equipment of a flour mill comprises a grinding wheel, chakki, oil-engines and electric motor where power is available.

It was found that the equipment of a big sized unit was com-posed of four grinding wheels worth Rs. 2,000, 2 electric motors worth Rs. 10,000 and other tools such as screw-drivers, pans, oil etc., valued at about Rs. 100.

Generally the proprietor of a flour mill performed all the work, but in a few cases, one or two outsiders were also employed. One unit had employed 4 workers.

Some flour mills in addition to grinding of grain undertook husking and polishing of rice and crushing of pulses and used special machines known as hullers and crushers in addition to grinding machines.

The prices charged by units differed according to type of ser-vice rendered. It was found that the net earnings of flour mills of all sizes ranged between Rs. 120 and Rs. 500 per month.

The monthly expenditure on wages, where outsiders were employed ranged between Rs. 60 and Rs. 180, depending upon the number of persons employed. Most of the establishments surveyed were housed in rented. premises, the rents ranging between Rs. 10 and Rs. 25 per month.

The flour milling business is brisk throughout the year, and usually prosperous during the festival season, and before the outbreak of the monsoon when yearly provisions are stored.

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