MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS

HAIR-CUTTING SALOONS

A sample survey was conducted at Satara, Karad and Phaltan. Of the three towns Satara and Karad had 68 and 60 hair-cutting saloons employing 222 persons. The establishments in Satara engaged about 128 persons including 28 paid employees and those in Karad employed 94 including 9 paid employees. The location of these establishments in Satara was as follows: Ward Nos. Ill, V, VI and IX contained 16, 13, 14 and 11 establishments respectively and the remaining three wards had 14 establishments. In Karad, 23 shops were located in Guruwar peth, 22 in Shaniwar, 10 in Raviwar and 5 in Somwar, Mangalwar and Budhwar peths.

Nine establishments, three from each town were surveyed. The establishments in Satara were started between 1949 and 1956, those in Karad between 1950 and 1956 and in Phaltan between 1944 and 1954. Hair-cutting was their principal occupation providing them with employment throughout the year. The initial capital required was raised from their own resources by all establishments. The total investment in the units in Satara varied from Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,500, in Karad from Rs. 200 to Rs. 1,000 and in Phaltan from Rs. 200 to Rs. 700.

All these establishments were situated in rented premises, the rent of which in Satara varied from Rs. 20 to Rs. 50, in Karad from Rs. 9 to Rs. 30 and in Phaltan from Rs. 10 to Rs. 40. Besides rent, they paid charges for water and electricity which varied from Rs. 8 to Rs. 12 per month. A nominal licence fee of rupee one or rupees two was collected yearly by the municipality from the establishments in Karad.

The equipment consisted of scissors, razors, cropping machines, toilet requisites, dressing tables, mirrors and revolving chairs, Most of these establishments used razors and cropping machines of Indian make. The cost of equipment varied according to the size of the unit in the three towns. The biggest shop had equipment worth Rs. 700. The medium shop possessed equipment worth Rs. 200 and a small unit worth Rs. 75.

More than 75 per cent, of the total number of persons engaged in this occupation in the three towns were employers themselves. Many establishments were exclusively managed by the owners with the help of their family members. The total employment in the establishments surveyed was 25 of whom only 6 were paid employees. In Satara and Phaltan, employees were paid fixed wages. In Satara, they were paid between Rs. 70 and Rs. 90 and in Phaltan, between Rs. 25 and Rs. 40 per month. In Karad, they were paid at piece rates i.e., their earnings approximating to half the money accruing to the owners due to the work done by them.

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