MAIN FINDINGS

The important findings of the survey conducted at Alwaye-Ernakulam centre are given below:

  1. The survey covered workers engaged in only one sector of employment viz. Registered Factories.

SCOPE OF SURVEY

  1. The total number of working class families covered during the survey was 216.

ECONOMIC BACKGROUND OF THE CENTRE

  1. The estimated total number of working class families as defined for the purpose of the survey was about 38.31 thousand.
  1. The estimated total number of employees in these families was about 57.10 thousand.
  1. The average monthly income per employee from paid employment worked out to Rs. 4251.67 at current prices as compared to Rs. 701.14 in 1981-82 survey. At constant prices of 1982, it was however, Rs. 979.65.
  1. ‘Manufacture of non-metalic mineral products n.e.c.’ industry dominated in terms of employment.
  1. As much as 75.79 per cent of the total employees were employed on a regular basis, 22.87 per cent were on casual basis and the remaining 1.34 per cent on contractual basis.

FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS

  1. The average size of a working class family worked out to be 4.20 persons of which, 1.13 were earners, 0.65 earning dependants and 2.42 non-earning dependants. The average family consisted of 1.62 men, 1.73 women and 0.85 children.
  1. The modal family size was with four and five members.
  1. The estimated total number of family members was 1.61 lakhs, out of which, 47.94 per cent were males. Of the total family members, 47.70 per cent were married, 6.74 per cent were widowed and separated and the remaining 45.56 per cent were unmarried which included 20.36 per cent family members in the age group of below 15 years.
  1. The dependency ratio was 374/1000.
  1. Around 5 percent of the family members (5 years of age and above) were illiterate and slightly more than 5 per cent were graduate and above.
  1. Around 38 per cent of the family members (5 years of age and above) were employees and about 46 per cent were not in labour force.
  1. Of all the families, 90.15 per cent of the families had one earner, 7.52 per cent had two earners while the remaining 2.33 per cent had three or more earners.

FAMILY INCOME AND RECEIPTS

  1. The average monthly income per family and per capita worked out to Rs. 7887.36 and Rs. 1879.05 respectively at current prices as compared to Rs. 1154.46 and Rs. 222.47 respectively in 1981-82. At constant prices of 1982, however, the average monthly income per family and per capita worked out to Rs. 1817.36 and Rs. 432.96 respectively.
  1. As much as 80.33 per cent of the total average monthly income came from paid employment.
  1. Within the paid employment, basic wages and allowances contributed about 81 per cent of the total income.

FAMILY EXPENDITURE AND DISBURSEMENTS

  1. The average expenditure per family worked out to Rs. 6871.50 at current prices out of which, Rs. 6110.02 was on consumption expenditure and Rs. 761.48 was on non-consumption expenditure. The average expenditure per family was Rs. 1445.41 and Rs. 158.35 respectively in 1981-82 and 1958-59. At constant prices of 1960, however, the average expenditure per family worked out to Rs. 305.13 and Rs. 316.98 respectively in 1999-2000 and 1981-82.
  1. Within consumption expenditure, the share of food items was 38.05 per cent.
  1. Around 88 per cent of the families had spent less than 45 percent of their total expenditure on food.
  1. There was a significant decline in the percentage of families reporting expenditure on pan, supari, tobaccotobacco products, alcoholic beverages & intoxicants, household services and recreation & amusement as compared to 1981-82 survey.
  1. The percentage of families reporting expenditure on prepared meals & refreshments, non-alcoholic beverages, furniture & furnishings, medical care, personal care and transportcommunication during 1999-2000 increased as compared to 1981-82 survey with the maximum jump on non-alcoholic beverages.

FOOD CONSUMPTION

  1. The average monthly quantity of Cereals and Cereal Products consumed per family worked out to 41.32 Kgs, of which major share was accounted for by Rice (34.58 Kgs) and Wheat Atta (2.44 Kgs). The per capita per month consumption of Cereals and Cereal Products was 9.84 Kgs.
  1. The average monthly consumption of milk per family has increased to 13.87 litres from 12.35 litres in 1981-82 survey.

BUDGETARY POSITION

  1. About 72 per cent of families recorded an average surplus income with overall surplus income of Rs. 1015.86 over per family expenditure.

INDEBTEDNESS

  1. The average amount of outstanding debt per indebted family worked out to Rs. 31261.31 against the original loan of Rs. 46519.38.
  1. The incidence of indebtedness worked out to 79.03 per cent during 1999-2000 as compared to 87.50 per cent in 1981-82 survey.
  1. Employer was the most preferred source of loans followed by Co-operative credit societies.
  1. The proportion of families availing loans from Money Lenders declined to 16.12 per cent from 25.31 per cent in 1981-82 survey.

HOUSING

  1. About 77 per cent of the families were residing in Independent Houses and around 13 per cent were using flats as their residence.
  1. Of all the families, 90.48 per cent had made their own arrangements for accommodation and the remaining 9.52 per cent were provided dwellings by the employers.
  1. About 30 per cent families had access to drinking water within their dwellings. The main source for drinking was tap.
  1. The percentage of families enjoying basic amenities like kitchen, bathroom, latrine and electricity was 86.90 per cent, 70.24 per cent, 96.43 per cent and 96.43 per cent respectively.

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Alwaye-Ernakulam