MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS

MOTOR BODY BUILDING

At the time of survey there were 40 establishments, 15 in Satara and 25 in Karad, which were engaged in motor body building. The total employment in them was 82 including 30 paid employees. Almost all the establishments in Satara were situated in Ward No. V and only two in Ward Nos. VII and VIII. In Karad, all were located in Budhwar and Shaniwar peths. Seven shops were chosen for the survey. Of these four were started by about 1930 and three after 1952. Motor body building and repairing was their main occupation which provided them employment throughout the year. Six owners raised initial capital from their own resources. The remaining one in Satara had still an outstanding debt of Rs. 5,000. The total investment in each of these shops varied from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 20,000.

The equipment consisted of lathes, battery charging plant, electric drill, welding machine tools, jacks, press screws and testing and measuring instruments. The cost of equipment varied from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 6,000 per shop in the three towns.

All establishments surveyed were situated in rented premises. The rent of each varied from Rs. 15 to Rs. 50 per month. They paid Rs. 5 to Rs. 15 per month as electric charges. No municipal tax was paid by any establishment in the three towns.

The materials required for repairing work included spare parts, welding wires, screws, bolts, kerosene oil, lubricating oil and petroleum. Spare parts, screws, bolts and welding wires were brought from Poona, Sangli, etc. Each spent between Rs. 40 and Rs. 80 per month on these items.

As the repairing work demanded skill and experience, mostly mechanics were employed and they were paid good wages. In each establishment, there was one expert mechanic. The other workers worked under his supervision. In four shops the proprietors worked as experts. The total employment in the shops surveyed was 34, out of whom 21 were paid employees, Skilled workers were paid Rs. 5 and unskilled workers rupee one per day.

They repaired motor vehicles and oil engines, when their services were requisitioned by the customers for that purpose. Orders were placed by customers directly with the establishments. Some establishments assembled spare parts of engines. The margin of profit in these shops was just enough to provide for their maintenance.

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