A Sociological Study of Muslim Labours in Bhopal

Abstract or Introduction

A Person is not only a social animal, he /she is also an economic being. He/ she is incessantly engaged in what are known as economic pursuits or activities. These economic activities are so multifaceted, varied and complex that they constitute what is known as an economy.

The main focus of the present study is to know the social and economic position of Muslim labours of Bhopal city. The Bhopal city is a Muslim dominated area where the Muslims living in the average standard are mostly engaged in labour works like motor mechanic, working in motor garages, running tea shops, and also labouring in other small scale manufacturer units. The study is conducted in 2012 using both primary and secondary data.

Madhya Pradesh is largely agricultural with nearly 90% of the rural population employed in primary sector activities such as agriculture, mining and related fields. A majority of the farmers are small cultivators whose income over the years has been declining. Almost one-third of the state’s population lives below poverty line. The urban poverty is much higher when compared with that in rural areas. The survey data from Bhopal district suggest a much higher proportion of the population that could be declared as living in impoverished conditions as 96% of the urban dwellers of Madhya Pradesh live on less than Rs. 38.50 per day. In Bhopal 75% households have annual income below Rs. 25,000 and another 10 % having yearly income in the range of Rs. 25000-50,000. 85 % percent of the population manages its living with annual earnings below Rs. 50, 000