MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS

TAILORING.

AT THE TIME OF OUR SURVEY, THERE WERE 67 TAILORING SHOPS at Chiplun and 35 at Ratnagiri. Most of the establishments at Chiplun were situated in ward No. VII and only one was situated in ward No. III. At Ratnagiri, 18 were situated in ward No. IV, 12 in ward No. III, and three and two in ward Nos. I and II. The total employment in the establishments at Chiplun was 212, out of whom, 104 were paid employees and 108 were employers and their family members. Of the total employment of 64 persons at, Ratnagiri in these establishments, eight were paid employees and 56 including four children were employers and their family members. Six samples at Chiplun and three at Ratnagiri were selected for survey, but only three from Ratnagiri had furnished the necessary information.

One of them was started in 1934, the other in 1950 and the third in 1953. Tailoring was their principal occupation providing them employment throughout the year. One was started by the owner with his own resources, the other two partly borrowed the required capital. The debt was found to have been repaid as the enquiries at the time of survey revealed.

Equipment of these shops usually consisted of sewing machines, pairs of scissors, thread, wooden board, tape and such other tools required for tailoring and ironing purposes and furniture like cupboards, a small table, etc. There were four machines in one establishment, three in the other and two in the remaining one. The cost of a sewing machine varied from Rs. 250 to Rs. 300. The value of equipment in each shop varied from Rs. 600 to Rs. 1,350. The total capital investment in them varied between Rs. 800 to Rs. 1,500.

All establishments in the sample were situated in rented premises. One paid Rs. 11, the other Rs. 30 and the third Rs. 40 per month as rent. They used electricity for lighting. Each paid between Rs. 2 and Rs. 5 per month for the use of electricity. Payment on municipal licence fee was nominal, varying between one rupee and three rupees per year.

The three shops employed eight paid employees. Three of them were employed for stitching clothes, two for cutting cloth, one for both and two others for ironing and stitching buttons and making button-holes. They had a working day of seven to eight hours. Employees were engaged on fixed wages. An employee who did cutting and stitching was paid Rs. 90 per month. Others who did stitching only were paid between Rs. 45 and Rs. 50 per month. Employees who stitched buttons and made button-holes were paid Rs. 40 each per month.

Customers served, were generally local. Their business was brisk in winter and summer. They stitched both ladies' and gents' garments. Their income varied from shop to shop and ranged from Rs. 100 to Rs. 400 per establishment per month.

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