The Hindu Business Line : Masons highest paid among non-farm workers

Even as urban India is in the midst of a real estate and construction boom, masonry has emerged as the highest-paid occupation for men in rural India amongst the seven non-agricultural occupations.

The `Wage Report in Rural India' brought out by the Labour Bureau for the agricultural year 2004-05 (July to June), has placed masons ahead of carpenters, blacksmiths, cobblers and tractor drivers amongst others, and pegged the all-India average daily wage for a male mason between Rs 121.32 and Rs 123.56.

Variations across States

The income levels of masons varied widely across States. Masons in Kerala were found to be the highest paid, drawing an average daily wage of Rs 188.42 (July 2004), followed closely by their counterparts in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh with average daily wage of Rs 182.78 and Rs 182.50, respectively. However, masons in Manipur and West Bengal were less fortunate and had to be content with an average daily wage of Rs 83.89 (the lowest among States) and Rs 95.01 respectively.

After masons, carpenters and blacksmiths emerged as the next highest paid lot. While carpenters received an average daily wage of Rs 111.97, blacksmiths were paid Rs 86.81. Interestingly, no female worker was found to be employed as mason, carpenter, blacksmith, cobbler or tractor driver during the period in reference.

For women, sweeping was the highest paid non-agricultural occupation with an all-India average daily wage varying from Rs 47.35 to Rs.50.36. However, for male sweepers the occupation was the lowest paying job despite their all-India average daily rate coming to Rs 50.92. Among women, unskilled labourers were the lowest paid with an average daily wage of only Rs 44.93.

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