MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS

CYCLE-REPAIRING.

The use of cycles could be traced to the early forties of this century and today the bicycle has become the vehicle of a common man. It can be seen even in the remote villages. It is a ready and a convenient means of transport and does not need much capital or recurring expenditure.

An increase in the use of bicycles has brought about a number of cycle-repairing shops both in the urban and the rural areas of the district. Besides repairing cycles, these shops sell spareparts of cycles. At times they also sell cycles and do the business of giving cycles on hire for which they generally keep four to five cycles.

The fixed capital is invested in the purchase of bicycles and spareparts and other tools and equipment. The tools and equipment of a cycle-repairing shop consist of spanners of various sizes, nuts, screws, cycle pumps, articles required to remove puncture, etc. One or two benches, a table and a petromax are also found in almost every cycle-repairing shop.

The cost of tools and equipment in case of all the shops surveyed varied between Rs. 600 and Rs. 1,000. Generally the shops were managed by the owners with the aid of family members. However, in two of the shops, three outside labourers were employed and they were paid Rs. 200 in aggregate by way of wages. Their fixed capital investment ranged to about Rs. 750 for a small shop and Rs. 4,500 for a big shop. The fixed or working capital in the case of all the shops was provided by the owners and was not borrowed.

Almost all the shops were located in rented premises and their rental charges ranged between Rs. 10 and Rs. 50 per month. The shops were generally found near the bazar or the motor-stand.

The net income of an average cycle shop varied between Rs. 100 and Rs. 250 per month. These shops generally charged Re. 0.15 per hour for hiring a bicycle, Re. 0.15 for removing puncture and Rs. 4 to Rs. 5 for overhauling. During the rainy season when the commercial activities subside and agricultural activities begin the business of these shops showed a decline. During the rest of the year the shops were kept thoroughly busy. Generally, a cycle-repairing shop also undertakes repairing of stoves, petromaxes, etc.

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