MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS

BICYCLE REPAIRING.

THERE WERE 15 ESTABLISHMENTS DEALING IN BICYCLE REPAIRING in the two towns. Of the eight in Ratnagiri, four were located in ward No. IV, two in ward No. III and one each in ward Nos. II and V. In Chiplun, five were located in ward No. VII and two in ward No. II. The total employment in these establishments both at Chiplun and Ratnagiri was 31, out of whom only three were paid employees. The establishments in Chiplun were managed by owners with the help of their family members. In Ratnagiri, most of the shops were managed by owners with the help of their family members. Only three paid employees were engaged in the eight shops situated in Ratnagiri. Six shops, three each in the respective towns were selected. However only three from Ratnagiri furnished the necessary information. The establishments surveyed had bicycle-repairing as the principal occupation which provided employment their owners throughout the year. Two of them raised the initial capital from their own resources. One of them borrowed the same from a local bank. No new bicycles were kept in these shops for sale. The total capital investment in them varied from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 4,000. The small establishment invested about Rs. 2,000. The circulating capital per establishment varied from Rs. 1,200 to Rs. 3,000 They had equipment worth Rs. 200, Rs. 250 and Rs. 300 respectively.

These establishments were situated in rented premises. One of them paid Rs. 25, the other Rs. 20 and the third Rs. 13 as rent per month. Two of them paid Rs. 5 each and the other Rs. 8 on electricity per month. They paid a total of Rs. 34 as municipal tax per year. Expenditure on other items like advertisement was negligible. One shop was exclusively managed by the onwer. Two others had three paid employees, each of whom was paid between Rs. 30 and Rs. 35 per month, as wages.

The income of these establishments was not very large and the profit margin was just enough to maintain them. It varied between Rs. 50 and Rs. 100 per month. In addition to the work of repairing, they had a few bicycles which they gave on hire. They also sold equipment required for bicycles. But the sale of the articles like tubes, tyres, etc. was not considerable. The total number of bicycles in the two towns was hardly 440 to the population of 42,929 persons. There was on an average one bicycle for 11 houses. Lack of capital for expansion of business, lack of sufficient quota of tubes and tyres were some of the difficulties experienced by these shops.

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