MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS

SILK MANUFACTURING

There were three silk mills, two in Karad and one in Satara, employing bout 30 persons. Information about two mills in Karad was obtained. One of them was started in 1929 and the other in 1934-35.

The main work done in the establishment was twisting, winding and doubling and reeling artificial silk imported from Italy, Japan, Switzerland and Germany. There were 2,800 spindles in one mill and 1,300 in the other. The total investment in both was Rs. 4 lakhs, out of which about a lakh of rupees were borrowed from the local bank. About 15 workers were employed in one mill. The total employment in the other was not available. Wages paid to each labourer varied between Rs. 20 and Rs. 60 per month.

The products were directly sent to Satara, Poona, Sholapur, Khandesh, Bijapur and Hyderabad. These mills did not get regular quota of artificial silk.

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