Socio-Economic Empowerment of Tribal Women through Sericulture a Study of Lailunga Block of Raigarh District , Chhattisgarh , India

Problem statement: To provide better prospects to the respondent tribes. context of the work was based on questionnaire. To improves economic self dependence. Approach: The questionnaire based progress did by authors to solve the problem. Identification of area, selection of individual / population, collecting primary data by the method of questionnaire, secondary data collection by different source such as magazine, reports, publication etc. evaluation on the socioeconomic empowerment of tribal women through sericulture. Results: Socioeconomic upliftment done through the research, income level get doubled. We found positive correlation towards the economic upliftment. Change the life style of tribes due to economic growth and development. Without effecting, the traditional occupation, upliftment occurs in the field of sericulture. Conclusion: Due to local employment generation, inter state migration is checked thus resulted additional income generated. Moreover they had regular saving habit. It is noteworthy that due to above facts no environmental hazards develop by the tribes. After adopting the sericulture, they need not go to money lenders or any middle man thus resulted their self-respect elevated and they recognized socially. They also released from the debt ness.


Introduction
India lives in villages.Indian rural sector is one of the biggest rural sectors in the world after China, with over 74% population living in rural areas.In India more than 90% of labor force is employed in unorganized sector where it doesn't provide social security and other benefits of employment as in the organized sector (Usha Rani J. 2007).
Women constitute more than 50% of the world's population, one third of the labor force, and perform nearly two thirds of all working hours.It is estimated that India is the home to 12.7 crores working women and 90% of them are working in the unorganized sector (Census of India 2001).
Women are mostly found in marginal and casual employment and that also mostly in agriculture and the growing informal sector.Women are overwhelmingly concentrated in agro-based/house-hold-based activities such as dairying, fisheries, small animal husbandry, handlooms, handicraft, social forestry and sericulture.In such a situation, sericulture is one of such activity, where most of the activities are carried out by women alone.Among many agro-based cottage industries in India, sericulture provides in employment generating opportunities to rural poor and tribal.Tasar sericulture is practiced by about 1.5 lakh tribal populations in the state of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh (Shetty et. al., 2007).Inspite of the availability of a vast wealth of tasar food plants (111.68 lakh ha.) in the tropical belt of India, tasar production is only 1.5% of the total silk production, which is 16.5% of the non-mulberry silk production of the country (Katwal, 2003).There are 258 well-recognized tribal communities, notified as scheduled tribes in India (Sinha, 2003).Sericulture is an income generating agro-enterprise in the mid hill region to alleviate poverty, through increasing rural women employment and their income, and thus, has been given due priority by Agriculture Perspective Plan (APP, 1995).About 8000 ha. of economic plantations of T. arjuna has been established in the country under inter state tasar project.A demonstration of integrated package for tasar silkworm rearing for better return and upliftment of the tribes in Baster District of Chhattisgarh state.(Remadevi, O.K. et al., 2000).Sericulture is a potential sector of the agriculture to raise economic status of the farming community and also earning foreign revenue (Thapa and Shrestha, 1999).Women in rural India participate in a variety of economic activities.Women have been involved in the sericulture activities in various capacities viz., worker, supervisors and supporting personnel within the family (Venkatesh et. al., 2010).Sericulture provides tremendous opportunities to the women in the rural areas particularly in silkworm rearing and reeling activities with reference to income.The involvement of women in sericulture is about 53%.Sericulture being a farm based enterprise is highly suited both for large and small land holdings, with low capital investment.Largely the silk goods are purchased by the urban rich and middle class consumers which are estimated around 57% of the final value of the silk fabric in the rural areas (Gangopadhyay, 2009).Sericulture is a labor intensive industry in all its phases.It can generate employment up to 11 persons for every kg of raw silk produced.Out of which more than 6 persons are women.More than 60.00 lakh persons are employed as full time workers in the production chain out of which 35-40 lakh persons are women (Rama Lakshmi C.S. 2007).

Material and Methodology
Raigarh district are major tasar growing area where tribal are engaged in sericulture activity.Tasar silkworm rearing has been going on since 1956-57 and rearing of mulberry silkworm started in the year 1982-83.Since sericulture activity covered 312042 acres, therefore the total beneficiaries are 5739 out of them 3347 are scheduled tribe.Lailunga is a rural populous block in Raigarh district.The total geographical area of this block is 600 square kilometers and population is 113531 out of which schedule tribe is 72149 (63.55%) (Vaishnav, 2004(Vaishnav, , 2007)).Sex ratio is 1000 and population density is 189 Sqm.There are 121 habited villages in block.70 Gram panchayat and 1 janapad panchayat.Revenue circle 1patwari circle is 14.Literacy rate is 23624 (24.18) in 1991 and in 2001 it is 73.77% (Census of India 2001).There is a proper facility of water supply in 122 villages and 113 villages are connected by the electricity.There are 7 different weekly market centers for the sale and purchase of productive goods by the people.4 Primary health centers in the block.(District statistics book of Raigarh, 2007).
To make this study more authentic and reliable, the statistical method has been applied for the analysis of the data received through primary survey.In this research paper, we want to explain the survey result in a very simple and easy way by applying the statistical method on the basis of the data receive where the situations are the basis of vertically received: M = (1/N) fx, where N = Number of observation F = Frequency (collected data) x = Variable (as per situation)

Employment
In the block only 18 (18%) beneficiaries out of 100 adopted the sericulture as main occupation and rest 82 (82%) adopted sericulture as secondary occupation.Out of 100 families the number of working member in 18 families is only 01 and the same way in 31 families is 02, In 38 families working member is 03, in 10 families 04 and in 03 families 05 or more then 05 members are working.
Insert Figure 1 -here

Man Days in a Year
Out of 100 respondents in block 32% received employment for duration of 100-150 days and 64% for a period of 151-200 and 3% of 201-300 days and the 1% for more than 300 days.
Insert Figure 2 -here The total monthly income obtained from all sources to the families involved in sericulture occupation is average 3840/-.The respondent tribe of study area collects forest minor products and thus they earn income about 5950/once in year which is a satisfactory amount for poor families.
Insert Figure 3 -here The total monthly expenditure from all sources to the families is about 2380/-.Only respondents 14 are indebt ness.Before starting sericulture occupation in the field of study area 58% of the total respondent were involved in agriculture and 35% in agricultural labor.Only 4% are in rearing of worm and 3% are both agriculture and sericulture.Now 148 men and 131 women are involved in the occupation under this silkworm rearing, agriculture and silkworm rearing, plantation and silkworm rearing and labor are included.
Before having sericulture occupation, the economic condition of 72% of the respondent was normal, 8% was bed and 20% was very miserable.This occupation is not new to the tribes in the study area because they are practicing sericulture since average of 13 yr.
The average annual income from the old occupation was Rs. 19350/-.Out of 100 respondent 11 are learn rearing silkworm by training and 89 by seeing each other.
From 100 respondent 15 are take one crop in year while 12 are two, 73 are three.All respondent received dfls from sericulture center and they are satisfied with dept.Primary host plant for silkworm rearing is in the priority of T.arjuna, T.tomentosa , M.alba & S.robusta with Z.zuzuba and that is in the number of 3190 for each respondent .
The host plant affected by the diseases of Gall infection ,stem borer, leaf spot & root rot respectively .All the respondent are accepted that the work of sericulture is comparatively better than other work .
In the study area it is estimated that and averages of 5900 numbers of Cocoons are produced in each crop and an average of 4720 /-Rs.are gain by respondent.It is estimated that yearly production of cocoons are an average of 18300 numbers by respondents.Average annual income from the yearly production of Cocoons has been estimated to about 18220/-Rs.Respondents.99 respondent getting losses some time in this occupation and the reason are high temperature & humidity followed by diseases and pollution.Govt.did not give compensation for any loss in crop it is responded by all.Only five respondent get loan for sericulture according to there need and 95 respondent not get the loan.
All the respondent want continue to attach with sericulture because it is suited to their lifestyle.The work is simple and can be done without any cost.Sericulture can serve better for the additional income generation and lay concrete on the way for the local employment generation.All respondents are of the view that sericulture has not affected their traditional business.All the respondents supported that their economic status is change.All respondents denied for any migration or displacement caused.The change in annual income is reported app.19800/-which is good in amount.
Insert Figure 4

Conclusion
In a nutshell sericulture is the source of additional income generation.
Sericulture provides more than fifty percent employment to the respondent in a year thus stops the inter-state migration.According to the MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guaranty Programme) population must receive 100 days employment in a year where as sericulture provides 151-200 days employment to respondent i.e., 64%.
Majority of the respondent were practicing agriculture before adopting the sericulture but later on they were more than 80% respondent are doing rearing practices.Economic states from old occupation are normal for seventy two percent respondents.The average annual income from the old occupation were estimated as Rs.19350/-.Due to this practices respondent were earned around double income than earlier income.This occupation is not new to the tribes in the study area because they are practicing sericulture since average of 13 year.Near about 53% respondent earned fixed assets as land from old occupation while 46% as building.
Tasar culture is helpful for saving 3190 host plant by each respondent i.e., tribal were very much eco-friendly with reference to sericulture is also checking ecosystem.
It is noteworthy that adopting the Sericulture by tribal they conserve the environment by non-cutting and felling of trees because sericulture is now their way of life.Interstate migration is checked because sericulture provides additional income at their door level.Regular savings habit has been developed by sericulture practices among the tribes because they earn much more than their standard of living.It is remarkable that sericulture is suited the life style of tribe because practice of sericulture is simple and can be done without any cost and skill.
Respondent who had been once causing the depletion of forest resources are now interested in its protection involving themselves in evolving suitable measures through the sericulture.They have come to an understanding that feeding of tasar silkworm on the food plants in the forest is a part of the total ecosystem and moved towards the conservation of forest resources through forest protection.
The total monthly income obtained from all sources to the families involved in sericulture occupation is average 3840/-.The total monthly expenditure from all sources to the families is about 2380/-.Sericulture activities provide a perfect choice for the women because of the very nature of the activities that can take place close to the habitations.However the contribution of women in the sector is invisible due to various constraints such as: -Lack of women oriented approaches in research, planning, implementation and evaluation of schemes, Lack of congenial marketing services in the farm and non-farm sectors, inadequacy of women extension workers, Methodologies, time duration, location of training programmes put constraints on women's participation, Lack of consistency in the projects implementation, Lack of access to infrastructure like land, water, electricity, machinery, credit for working capital, attitude of people working in the financial institutions pose limitations.

Suggestions
1) Research focus of women friendly technologies.
2) Convergence approach with forest, Rural Development, Women and Child Welfare, Industries, Tribal Welfare, Marketing, Finance, Insurance sectors, Energy Departments to bring in coordinated approach and action plans to maximize the benefits in favour of women.
3) Health Insurance to workers.

5
) Training cum study visits to women and facilities for husbands to participates.
6) Design market infrastructure to favour women's participation.
-here All the respondents attributed the following impact by Sericulture -1.Conservation of environment 2. No cutting and felling of trees, 3. Inter state migration is checked 4. Local employment is generated 5. Served as additional income generating source 6. Regular savings habit has been developed 7. Reduction of human pressure on the forest Figure 1.Employment Generation