MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS

GOLDSMITHY

The total number of establishments in the two towns at the time of survey was 185, out of which 147 were located in Jalgaon and the remaining in Amalner. Of the former, 64 and 38 were situated in Wards No. 11 and III, 12 in Ward No. III, nine in Ward No. VII, seven each in Wards No. II and VII. six and two in Wards No. VI and IX and one each in Wards No. I and X. In Amalner, 19 and 14 establishments were located in Wards No. III and IV, two each in Wards No. I and II and one in Ward No. V. The total employment in all establishments in the two towns was 330 persons, out of whom 37 were paid employees and the remaining employers and their family members. There were 277 persons employed in 147 establishments in Jalgaon. Of them, 32 including three children were paid employees. In Amalner, 38 establishments employed 53 persons, of whom, five were paid employees.

In Jalgaon, the three establishments surveyed were started between 1930 and 1948 and in Amalner between 1915 and 1939. Manufacture and sale of gold and silver ornaments in Jalgaon and only sale of ornaments in Amalner was the principal occupation of the shops in the two towns, which provided employment throughout the year. All the proprietors in the sample in Jalgaon raised initial capital from their own resources. In Amalner all of them borrowed the same from banks at 12 1/2 per cent rate of interest. They were indebted even at the time of survey, the debt of each varying from Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 10,000. Tools and equipment in these shops consisted of an anvil, bellows, hammers, pincers, pots, crucibles, moulds, nails, etc. and machines like press, wire and plate machines, a few pieces of furniture like cupboards, tables, chairs, etc. The total value of equipment in these shops in Jalgaon varied from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,000 and in Amalner between Rs. 1,100 to Rs. 3,000.

Two establishments in Amalner were situated in rented premises, the rent of which varied from Rs. 8 to Rs. 15 per month and the third was housed in the proprietor's own premises. Rent of the establishments in Jalgaon varied from Rs. 17 to Rs. 75 per month. All of them were located in rented premises. Rent of the biggest establishment in the sample was Rs. 75 per month. Besides rent, these establishments spent on water and electricity and on wages of labour. The charges excluding wages varied from Rs. 5 to Rs. 17 per month in Amalner and Rs. 2 to Rs. 25 per month in Jalgaon. Establishments in Jalgaon paid municipal tax which varied from Rs. 8 to Rs. 12 per establishment per year. The biggest establishment in Jalgaon spent Rs. 200 per year on advertising. No other establishment spent any amount on this item.

Two establishments in Jalgaon were exclusively managed by owners with the help of their family members and no outside labour was engaged in them. In the third, live paid employees were engaged. They were all males, four of whom were paid Rs. 500 each and one Rs. 900 per year. Out of the three establishments in Amalner, two were exclusively managed by the owners with their family members. In one shop, besides the owner there were two paid male employees, one of whom was paid Rs. 1.000 per year and the other Rs. 500 per year.

As these establishments were dealing in gold and silver ornaments, the raw materials they required were gold and silver, other alloys, nitric acid, etc.

The value of the total stock of bullion, gold and silver ornaments, two shops in Amalner had, was Rs. 10.000 and Rs. 20.000 and their net income was between Rs. 400 and Rs. 700 per month. The third shop had an income of about Rs. 200 per month. !u Jalgaon. one shop had a net income of about Rs. 900 per month and the other two between Rs. 200 to Rs. 250 per month. Shops in Amalner did not make ornaments. One shop sold gold and silver bullion, and designed gold and silver ornaments for other goldsmiths. The other two sold ornaments made by goldsmiths. They placed orders for them with local goldsmiths and paid them wages for the work done. One shop specialised in types of ornaments worn by Muslims. In Jalgaon, these establishments manufactured and sold ornaments. All articles were sold directly in the local market in the two towns. Business was profitable in the three out of six establishments. It was brisk during winter and summer.

Rates charged for making different kinds of ornaments in Jalgaon were as follows:—

Bangles—Rs. 2 per tola.

Rings—Rs. 3 to Rs. 8.

Necklace—Rs. 10 to Rs. 25.

Lockets—Rs. 2 to Rs. 3.

Putnlis—Rs. 3 per tola.

Mangalsutra—Rs. 5 to Rs. 10.

Earrings—Rs. 3 to Rs. 15.

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