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reckoned to be generally one month* We may also note that we
have assumed 15 acres as the size of an economic holding and
hence our other units are mainly based on this figure.
In the case of pure labourers the question of calculating the
receipts from kbour was simple. We have generally adopted
8 months as the period available for employment in their case.
In the case, however, of Halisand permanent servants, the period
assumed is one year.
The following few other assumptions were found necessary:—
(i) In calculating the wages earned by Ihose persons who
go out of the village to do manual labour, we took the figures of
the average rate of wages given to them in our house-to-house
census. We also consulted some of those who had in the past
gone to these places as regards the rates of wages paid. Having
calculated the wages they receive in the working season, we have
deducted therefrom the extra expenditure of living they have to
meet while they are in the outside areas. This we had to do be-
cause in calculating the annual necessary expenditure incurred by
the families from which persons had emigrated, we included the
cost of maintaining these emigrants at the standard of living
assumed for them when in Atgam.
(ii) A Hali, as an individual, is supposed to receive Rs. 150
per year including wages and gifts, // his master raised sugarcane;
if not, he is supposed to receive wages at the most for six months,
and gifts both amounting to a sum varying from Rs. 60 to Rs. 90.
(iii) In the case of female labourers the available period for
employment is assumed to be two months per year—mostly in the
seasons of transplanting paddy and reaping cereals and pulses and
occasionally in weeding.
It may be noted that in applying the assumptions to individual
families we have taken into consideration individual peculiarities
like the place of residence and the availability of employment in
that locality, in case of women especially the existence of infants
to take care of and similar other difficulties.