The Gazetteers Department

During the decade 1951.61 the population of the district registered an increase of 27.44 per cent. The self-supporting persons and earning dependents who could be said to comprise the working population numbered 4,90,731 in 1951. The 1961 census recorded 638,846 persons as working population. It means that while the population has increased by 27.44 per cent, the working population has shown an increase of about 30.18 per cent during the decade. The increased working population seems to have been absorbed in occupational divisions like manufacturing, transport and storage, household industry and agricultural labour.

The study of the status of employment in non-household industry, trade, business, professions or services shows interesting facts. Employers constitute only 2.63 per cent (2347 in number) of the workers engaged in non-household industries. The largest class is that of employees who account for 47.97 per cent or 42,759 in number. Single workers forming 35.60 per cent or 31,743 in number are an important class from the economic point of view. Family workers represent 13.80 per cent or 12,291 in number.

Non-working population,

The distribution of non-working population classified in eight broad categories, as per 1961 Census is given below: -

Category	Males	Females	Percentage
Category	Males	Females	Males	Females
Total non-working Population..	3,07,493	4,04,895	100	100
1. Full-time students	97,373	43.208	31.67	3O.67
2. Household duties	443	1,28,344	0.15	31.70
3. Dependents, infants and disabled.	2,03,479	2,31,854	66.17	57.26
4. Retired, rentiers or independent means.	1,393	688	0. 45	0.17
5. Beggars, vagrants, etc.	803	537	0. 26	0.13
6. Inmates of institutions	1,965	188	0. 64	0.05
7. Persons seeking employment for the first time.	1.207	51	0.39	0.01
8. Unemployed but seeking work	830	25	0. 27	0.01

There is a very remarkable difference in the pattern of distribution for non-workers among males and females. About 31.67 per cent. out of male non-workers are full-time students while the corresponding percentage for females is 10.67. It is mainly because 31.70 per cent, females who are engaged in household duties are also included as non-workers. Naturally enough dependents, infants and disabled persons form the largest proportion.

Persons enumerated as unemployed form 0.66 per cent. among males and 0.02 among females. But the statistics of unemployment do not seem to present a realistic picture of the state of employment in the district. The statistics do not cover a large number of people who are only partially employed or underemployed. In fact the Census questionnaire did not have any question to determine the extent of full employment or under-employment.

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