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MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS
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BICYCLE REPAIRING.
Today bicycles are seen even in the remote villages. It is a convenient means of conveyance and a cheap mode of transport which does not require much capital or broad roads.
The bicycles and cycle-rikshaws provide cheap and easy means of transport in big towns like Yeotmal, Wani, Pusad and Darwha. This has necessitated the establishment of bicycle repairing shops even in rural areas. The majority of bicycle repairing shops are of a medium size. Big shops are found only
in a large town like Yeotmal. These shops provide employment.
to a good number of persons. Some of the shops also sell spare
parts and take to allied jobs such as, luring the bicycles and.
stove repairing, etc. Usually these shops maintain about four to
six bicycles for hiring them out to customers. The rates of hiring
are fixed per hour or per day.
Generally the capital in these shops is invested in the purchase of bicycles and their spare parts and other equipment. Two to three benches, a table, a petromax, if electricity is not available, spanners of various sizes, nuts, screws, and cycle-pump constitute the equipment of such shops. Working capital is required for purchasing oil, and some other sundry articles required lot maintaining the shop, paying its rent and wages of the employee.
Most of the establishments are managed by the owners with the help of their family members. Bicycle shops are generally
situated in rented premises, the rent varying from Rs. 10 to Rs. 40 per month.
The net monthly income of a small, establishment was estimated to be about Rs. 120, of a medium establishment about Rs. 160 and of a big establishment about Rs. 250. Among the employees, teen-aged youngsters are found in large numbers. They are paid from Rs. 10 to Rs. 25 in small towns, whereas in big towns the salary of the employees ranges from Rs. 25 to Rs. 40 per month.
During summer and winter, the business of these shops remains brisk. It is slack during the monsoon.
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