MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS

FLOUR MILLS

There were 57 flour mills in the two towns at the time of survey. Of these 30 were located in Satara and 27 in Karad. The total employment in these establishments was 93, of whom 32 were paid employees. In Satara, almost all establishments were equally distributed in all wards except Wards No. I and II which contained only three. Out of 27, establishments in Karad 20 were located in Somwar, Guruwar and Shaniwar peths and the rest in the remaining peths. Flour milling was their principal occupation. One of them in Phaltan, besides grinding grains, was also engaged in dehusking rice.

Eight establishments were surveyed in the three towns. Two in Satara and one in Karad worked on electric energy and the remain-ing five on oil engines. Establishments in Satara were hereditary. Those in Karad were started in 1946 and 1956 and those in Phaltan in 1947 and 1949. Tools and equipment required by them were an oil engine or an electric motor, a pair of grinding stones, leather straps and other tools and appliances. In addition, one establishment in Phaltan had a set of rice hullers. Almost all these establishments used grinding stones brought from Gokak which cost them Rs. 16 to Rs. 18 per pair. The cost of equipment varied from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,500. The oil engine or electric motor itself accounted for more than half of the total cost of equipment.

The establishments which worked on oil engines consumed crude oil, mobile oil, and kerosene. The cost of consumption of these articles varied from shop to shop. It was between Rs. 75 to Rs. 150 per month. Two establishments using electricity consumed electricity worth Rs. 100 to Rs. 125 per month. Five establishments, three in Satara and two in Phaltan were situated in rented premises, the rent of which varied from Rs. 6 to Rs. 15 per month. The other two were situated in owned premises.

Most of the mills were one-man establishments. Three establish-ments from Satara and two from Karad and Phaltan were exclusively managed by owners with the help of their family members. The remaining three employed three employees, who were paid between Rs. 30 and Rs 45 per month.

The income of these establishments varied from Rs. 150 to Rs. 250 per month. They served local customers as well as customers from surrounding villages of the respective towns. Inadequate supply of crude and mobile oil was their main difficulty.

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