Cotton in India
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Dharma Kumar, S.P. NAG, L.S Venkataramanan., 1948. Cotton Allocation in the Cotton Textile Industry; New York: Asia Publishing House, pp 134-149
This study concentrates on mills in India which became involved in the production of superfine and fine cloth. Hence, it led to loom shifts’ loss. The study found that, as a result, The Textile Production (control) Committee was appointed by the government in 1948 to look into the issue adequately. On January 1949, the committee gave advice on imposing restrictions on production among mills not satisfactorily equipped. On the contrary, these restrictions were not implemented. Hence, the committee felt disappointed. This report also looks at the national plan which explains that among the different sectors of the industry, few parts were given to the overall production. In addition, the mill’s working capital requirements had risen drastically. This is because of the government policies imposing changes in the structure of duties in the middle of a financial year, and the result is growing uncertainty among traders. This led the mills doing contrary to what they do at normal times. The mill’s competitiveness in various regions is also affected by charges and levies apart from exercise duties. For example variation in fuel costs in Bombay and Mandhya Pandresh affects their competitiveness greatly. Without the government interventions on this, the installed utilization capacity is affected significantly. Moreover, this report recognizes that the extent of use of looms has been directly affected by the government’s policy on modernization as well as rationalization. For instance according to a survey conducted by most of the mills which closed were as a result of abnormal labour deployment both per loom and spindle.
T.S Papola., 1967. Geographical wage differentials in an industry: The case of cotton textiles in India.Indian Journal of Industrial Relations. Vol. 3, No. 1, p.p 3-18.
T. S Papola in his research attempted to explain the wage differentials among textile workers in three towns namely Ahmedabad, Bombay and Kanpur. Economic variables observed which the author used include labour market, real wage levels, productivity, industry's characteristics, profitability as well as cost of living. Despite its shortcomings in terms of coverage and methodology, the author managed to come up with the findings by utilizing descriptive statistics.
The conclusion made was that, the real wage levels was the significant determining factor of differentials. Hence, according to him, the wage differentials are bound to widen on the account that the each region's living standards likewise widens. However, he went further to explain that this factor may not solely explain in depth the existing wage differentials. Hence the need to bring in unquantifiable and non-economic variables such as stability, political alliances, trade union’s tactics at various centres, policies of labour in different states, as well as attitudes of mill owners.
Moreover, wage differentials may not be explained by unquantifiable and noneconomic factors but variables such as accidents, custom and convention. In addition, T.S Papola states that, if the research’s findings are accurate and valid, then it is with no doubt that the existing wage differentials will widen with time. This is because the standards of living is a centrifugal force by itself.
T.S Papola., 1967. Inhibiting factors on the labor front: Report of WCPT: Pg. 120-121.
WCPT reports focused more on two factors here: the reluctance of workers to carry out their duties in the third shift and the high level of neglect of duties, absenteeism, indiscipline and roaming around, among workers especially in Ahmedabad region. As the WCPT reports observes, the reluctance to work in the third shift could be an indication of some presence of objective reasons among workers doing so, which have no power over them. This is supported by the hospital records on sickness and accidents showing that most workers in the third shift were hospitalized unlike those in the two shifts. The report then shifts focus to concentrate on the conditions of the third shift which could act as causal of problems facing cotton labourers in India. To start with, the report found out that, working in the third shift demands undisturbed rest during the day which is not possible given the low standards of housing they have as well as the fact that it will lead to long family separation. Moreover, they also experience poor lighting conditions in the mills despite the fact that there exists a narrow distance between machine’s alleys. The WCPT report also informs of the continuous complains by workers of bad working conditions during normal shifts and which have been verified by various authorities. It is with no doubt then, that these conditions worsen with the third shift. Furthermore, the third shifts proves difficult during the bad weather. The report in addition shifts focus on female workers who, given the challenges experienced in third shifts, must be going through lots of difficulties.
Thesis question:
How can the challenges facing cotton production in India ranging from all sectors be solved to improve its competitiveness in the market?
REFERENCES
Dharma Kumar, S.P. NAG, L.S Venkataramanan., 1948. Cotton Allocation in the Cotton Textile Industry; New York: Asia Publishing House, pp 134-149.
T.S Papola., 1967. Geographical wage differentials in an industry: The case of cotton textiles in India.Indian Journal of Industrial Relations. Vol. 3, No. 1, p.p 3-18.
T.S Papola., 1967. Inhibiting factors on the labor front: Report of WCPT: Pg. 120-121. 