CHARACTERISTICS OF RURAL SCHEDULED AND NON- SCHEDULED WORKERS IN INDIA : A Spatial and Temporal Analysis

This study shows the characteristics of scheduled and non-sThe study has mainly two objectives: - (i) To examine the changes that occurred in general structure of rural work force across different social groups and gender during the neo liberal economic period. (ii) To assess the qualitative changes in rural work force in various economic activity and the factors involved therein. The result shows that the highest increase of rural work force in self employed category especially in non-scheduled workers as compared to scheduled workers. In regular salaried workers there has been declined in all India level and in all social groups. The share of casual workers increased in non-farm sectors and scheduled workers increased in casual category. The non-scheduled workers have declined in agriculture and it is followed by scheduled workers. The non-scheduled workers have moderate increase in trade, manufacturing and other services as compared to scheduled workers. There has been increase in share of manufacturing and construction for all social groups between the two time periods at in national level. Non-scheduled workers have higher share than scheduled workers in construction, trade and transport, storage and communication. It shows that in the new economic policy regime in situation of the scheduled workers have not improved.