Chapter - X

EMPLOYMENT

GENERATION IN

VARIOUS SECTORS

THROUGH

PROMOTION OF ECO

AGRI – RURAL

TOURISM

CHAPTER – X

EMPLOYMENT GENERATION IN VARIOUS SECTORS THROUGH

PROMOTION OF ECO-AGRI-RURAL TOURISM

10.1 TOURISM EMPLOYMENT IN INDIA Tourism is an important factor in combating unemployment. It

represents a high percentage use of labour force per invested capital

where labour is plentiful and unemployed and provides a solution. It

also provides employment several times more than several types of

normal manufacturing industries.

Tourism is a labour intensive industry. The provision of tourists

services generates employment opportunities. It is highly labour

oriented industry. It increases the employment level by creating new

employment in the sector and by stimulating the creation of others,

such as construction, transport etc. It indirectly increases productivity

by other sectors, particularly of the agriculture sector as it draws

manpower resulting from hidden employment or seasonal under

employment. Tourism is widely considered to be a high user of labour

and its impact on job creation can be considered in areas with limited

potential for other economic activities.

Tourism is responsible for creation of employment outside the

tourist industry. The range of jobs created by tourism extends from

unskilled through to management tasks. The industry provides direct

and indirect employment to a large segment of population compared

to other industries. The beneficiaries of tourism are the people who

work in hotels, travel agencies, airlines, taxi drivers, flower sellers,

souvenir dealers, vegetable sellers, butchers and farmers etc. There are

a large number of specialist personnel required such as accountants,

housekeepers, cooks, waiters and entertainers who in turn need even

large numbers of semi skilled and unskilled workers such as front

house personnel, chambermaids, porters, kitchen staff, gardeners etc.

Direct jobs are generated as hotel entrepreneurs, workers at

resorts, guides in transport and handicraft industries. In addition to the

things the tourist buys, mostly handicraft produce, embroideries and

brocades, pottery and brassware, ornaments and artistic things etc.

have a much greater appeal to the tourists. The expenditure of those

directly employed in the tourists industry creates indirect jobs in

hotels. These jobs are also attributed to the tourist industry which

mainly reflects increased employment opportunities in the

construction industry resulting from an expansion of tourism. Those

indirectly employed in tourist industry create employment in other

sectors of the industry through demand for goods and services. To

sustain this additional demand, more people are employed in

production of those goods and services.

The cycle of increased income and employment continues at

declining rate, until it is exhausted. This phenomenon is due to

employment multiplier effects.

10.2 PROJECTED SHARE OF EMPLOYMENT IN INDIA

Pe

rcen

tage

Em

plo

ymen

t

8% 7.00%

7% 6.00% 6% 5% 4% 3.70%

3% 2.90% 2% 1% 0%

T&T Economy-2001 T&TEconomy-2011 T&T Industry-2001 T&T Industry-2011 Figure 10.1 : Projected Share of Employment India’s travel and tourism economy accounts for 25 million jobs

or 6% of all employment. The department of tourism estimates of

travel and tourism industry jobs are 4.2 million or 2.9% of all

employment. The share of T & T economy is projected to rise to 7%

and the share of T & T industry is projected to rise to 3.7% through

2011.

The employment in T & T economy is projected to grow at

3.6% annually and the employment in the T & T industry is projected

to grow at 2.8% annually through 2011.

10.3 EMPLOYMENT GENERATION THROUGH TOURISM IN INDIA

As per the 1985-1986 price index rate, investment of one

million rupees created more employment in the tourism, hotel and

restaurant sector than agriculture, manufacturing, mining, railways

and transport sector. A sample survey has shown the following

comparative figures of employment generation in the table in which

hotel and restaurant sector the highest generator of jobs of having 89.0

jobs.

Table 10.1 : Comparative Figures of Employment in Tourism and

Other Sectors

Sr. No.

Different Sectors Jobs Created Rank in Providing Job

1 Agriculture 44.7 2

2 Manufacturing 12.6 5

3 Mining & Quarrying 2.6 6

4 Railways 0.9 7

5 Other Transport 13.8 4

6 Tourism 47.5 3

7 Hotel & Restaurant 89.0 1

The ratio obviously increases if one takes into account ancillary

services associated with hotels and restaurants. As agriculture is

considered as the main occupation in India but its employment

generation capacity is too less than tourism and hotel and restaurant

sector.

10.4 DISTRIBUTION OF EMPLOYMENT IN HOTEL AND RESTAURANT SECTOR IN RURAL AND URBAN AREA

The census revealed that the total employment in the hotel and

restaurant sector during 1990 was 27,69325 persons of these,

10,82,749 were in Own Account Enterprises (OAE) and the remaining

were employed in other Establishment. The details are given in the

table.

Table 10.2 : Distribution of Employment in Hotel and Restaurant

Sector

Location OAE Estt Total Rural 7,05,965(25.5) 4,42,477(16.0) 11,48,442(41.5) Urban 3,76,784(13.6) 12,44,099(44.9) 16,20,883(58.5) Total 10,82,749(39.1) 16,86,576(60.9) 27,69,325(100.0) 10.5 VIEW OF INDIAN ASSOCIATION OF

TOUR OPERATORS IN EMPLOYMENT GENERATION IN RURAL TOURISM

Tourism is a major social phenomenon of the modern society

with enormous economic consequences. Its importance as an

instrument for economic development and employment generation

particularly in remote and backward areas and a positive step for

poverty elimination has been accepted the world over. According to

the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) about 808 million

tourists crises crossed globally in 2005 and spent about 682 billion.

The tourism scene in India is also very positive with 3.92 tourists

coming to India in 2005 (13.2% over 2004) and contributed Rs. 25172

crores in the foreign exchange earnings for the country.

India also derived benefits from tourism inspite of the fact that

the level of tourist arrivals was not very high. For a country like India

the arrival figures should have been more to get the real economic

benefits of tourism.

But this growth in the tourism sector emerged as a very

important contribution to the national economy and contributed quite

a lot for employment generation in various tourism related activities.

At a rough estimate, total direct / indirect employment in the tourism

sector in India was about 41.8%. During 2003-2004 the indirect

employment multiplier in the case of tourism is fairly high and is

estimated as 2.36 which implies that direct employment of one person

in the tourism sector creates employment to 1.36 persons in other

sectors of the economy due to linkages with tourism. These linkages

are in the sectors like agriculture, horticulture, poultry, handicrafts,

construction, sports etc. Further these directly / indirectly employed

following the development of tourism may also need more goods and

services as a result of such employment than what they would have

demanded otherwise.

Additional demand will thus generate more employment and

further multiplier effect will come into force through successive chain

of transactions. In fact investment in tourism has the potential to

create more jobs compared to many other sectors and all the more at a

lower level of investment. The labour / capital ratio is very favorable

in tourism sector compared to many other industries with 47.5 jobs for

a million rupee investment as has been seen in the survey conducted

by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

Tourism is now recognized for its contribution to create job for

large number of women. This empowerment of women which is being

focused by our successive governments are achieved through tourism

projects more positively. Both educated and uneducated women are

now involved in tourism related activities. Women are effective in

tourism business with their mental attitude for service and care and

upbringing since their childhood especially in hospitality industry.

Now in India, more women are in hotel, travel, airlines services,

handicrafts making, cultural and entertainment events etc. and are

now better integrated in the national developmental programme

through tourism activities. With this double income in the family, the

standard of living in the families has improved. Better education of

children, improved health care, better exposure through interaction

and thus a general improved scene in the women force which was

earlier very restricted to move beyond their house limit.

Tourism has made a big contribution to create jobs in remote

areas where industries are difficult to come and especially in rural

areas places like Ladakh, interior parts of Himachal Pradesh, Madhya

Pradesh or North East region tourism have created employment

through the promotion of rural tourism in these areas. Now thousands

of domestic tourists and also international tourists are visiting places

which were never in their itinerary in these areas. This is just to

experience the pristine beauty of these places and to enjoy the ethnic

culture, cuisine, festivals etc. Government is giving special financial

incentives to all the State Governments to promote rural tourism. This

is being a bold step for poverty alleviation by involving local peoples

and tourism benefits filtering down from developed areas to under

developed areas.

As per estimates prepared by the World Travel and Tourism

Council (WTTC), it is estimated that tourism accounts for about 13%

of the total world exports. Further as per estimates, the Travel and

Tourism economy employment which is estimated at 207 million jobs

or 8.25% of global employment in 2001 is likely to grow to 260

million jobs or 9% of the global workforce by 2011.

For India also they have made very positive projections and

have recognized tourism as an instrument for generating large scale

employment opportunities. India offers enormous potential for

economically utilizing the natural attractions like its beaches,

mountains, rivers, wildlife, sanctuaries, waterfalls, landscapes which

are available in plenty in the country. This is further supplemented by

multitude of man made attraction like monuments, palaces, forts and

such beautiful constructions built through centuries. Now many of

them are standing as World Heritage Monuments.

Thus tourism contributes greatly to improving economy and

employment opportunities in this age of globalization.

10.6 INDIAN AGRICULTURE AND TOURISM EMPLOYMENT SCENARIO

Global economic restructuring has created a climate in which

many local economies have to adjust, in order to maintain or enhance

their socio-economic viability. As Butler et al. (1998) note economic

and social forces operating at the global level are determining both the

nature and form of the rural landscape and how we value and use it.

These changes, coupled with new ideas and approaches to leisure and

recreation time are encouraging tourism development in rural areas at

an ever increasing pace.

Rural tourism development in areas not traditionally considered

tourism destinations per se occurs incrementally either as a result of

entrepreneurs developing businesses that attract visitors or as a result

of visitors discovering the area and thereby generating a demand for

tourism in a rural area is not simply a matter of matching tourist

demands with local product supply but a matter of evaluating local

suitability and acceptability.

India is known as “Land of Villages” more than 77 crore

farmers live in 5.5 lakhs of village (2001). Agriculture contributed

about 18.5% of the national income (2006-2007) as compared to a

high 50% in 1950. 85% of population of India still depends on

agriculture hence agriculture is not mere business, but is still the

“True Culture of India”.

Indian Agriculture Scenario

Today the Indian agriculture has to face tremendous

competition because of the driven global trends. To add to this the

agriculture crop growth is also weekend due to the uncertain climatic

conditions. There is no minimum support price guarantee also. These

changes have altered the form and practices of farming operation.

Farmers are looking beyond traditional farming to generate income

via various forms of direct on farm marketing and farm based non-

agriculture business.

Indian Tourism Industry

The Indian Tourism sector contributes 5.3 percent of India’s

GDP 2006-2007. The tourism industry shows that India had 367

million domestic tourists and 3.92 million international tourists. The

Forex earnings from the tourism industry were 25,000 crores. The

tourism industry created 38.8 million direct and indirect jobs. The

tourism trend shows as per the 10th five year plan Indian government

is willing to spend over Rs. 2900 crores in the next five years to boost

the growth in this sector. It is also seen that domestic tourism has

displayed greater buoyancy and resilience. The center has committed

to contribute 765 crores for the state tourism development.

Domestic Tourism Growth

India has achieved great prosperity in tourism as a product.

India being the home to many leading religions of the world has many

important pilgrim sites of different religious scattered throughout the

country. Besides the average Indian is also an avid sightseer. As per

the study report of FICCI A.F. Ferguson and Co. 2004 every

additional Rs. 10 lakhs invested can create 47.5 direct jobs and each

direct job can create 11 indirect jobs. It also stated that every 30

million additional tourist translate into Rs. 4300 crores in effect and

high revenue capital ratio.

Within last 15 years, domestic tourism has grown by more than

304 million from 63 million from 63 million in 1990 to 367 million in

2005 registering a growth of 20% p.a. (Source : Study conducted by

Agricultural Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC).

10.7 WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN TOURISM

• Women’s Participation : Tourism is the highest

employer of manpower in the country. As per the

estimates of Department of Tourism this sector currently

employs 4.2 million persons, 2.5 million directly and 1.7

million indirectly. The special feature of this employment

is that it employs a large number of women and young

persons and the network of hotels, restaurants and other

tourism services are widely spread in the rural areas of

the country. As per released estimate by the Department

of Tourism that every Rs. 10 lakhs of new investment in

hotels and restaurants creates 89 new jobs, compared to

12.6 for manufacturing and 44.6 for agriculture.

• Employment Generation for Women : As most of the

major tourist destinations in the state are located in the

rural and semi-urban places, there exists a great potential

to involve local mass participation and help them

generate more and more income from the tourism

activities. Women participation can greatly be

encouraged to many of these activities befitting the

nature and style of the women folk. Hospitality and

services industry in particular (Hotels, Restaurants, Call

Centers, Reservations, Tour Co-ordination, even Tour

Guides etc.) can encourage and provide ample

opportunity for women employment. IT and Training

segments also have high potential so far as women

employment generation is concerned.

• Income Generation and Poverty Elimination Through

Tourism Development

10.8 WOMEN’S EMPLOYMENT IN TOURISM

In the last few decades, the tourism industry has undergone a

period of explosive growth and as a labour intensive industry there

has consequently been a rapid rate of job creation and development.

The general picture suggests that the tourism industry seems to

be a particularly important sector for women (46% of the workforce

are women) as their percentages of employment in most countries are

higher than in the workforce in general (34-40 percent are women).

The number of women and their percentage in the workforce vary

greatly between countries from two percent up to over 80 percent.

Although there were few obvious regional trends, it would appear that

in those countries where tourism is a more mature industry, women

generally account for around 50 percent of the workforce.

The majority of this increase in female participation may be

driven by the growth in the industry for specific countries, such as

Puerto Rico, Chile and Turkey. For the industrially developed

countries, there has been little change in the actual participation of

women in the tourism industry.

The proportion of women’s to men’s working hours, available

for 39 countries is 89 percent which means that women work 89 hours

when men work 100 hours. The proportion of women’s to men wages

is 79 percent. At first glance, this looks like women are working less

hours than men and at the same time, receive even less pay. However,

we cannot be sure if this is due to women’s typical occupations being

paid less, women being significantly more in part time and / or

women being paid less for the same work (wage inequity). Due to

lack of more detailed gender desegregated information it is not

possible to pick the reasons for the observed disproportional relation

of women’s and men’s working hours and wages. The increase of

women’s involvement in the labour market has not been associated

with substantial change in the amount of hours women are expected to

spend on domestic duties; this is leading to much longer actual

working hours for women that is up to 70 – 90 hours per week.

Regarding the disproportionate relationship between women’s

and men’s working hours and their respective wages, there is a divide

between the developed world, which employs females on an average

weekly wage equivalent to 80 percent to 70 percent of male wages,

and the less developed world, where average female wages fall by

another 10 percent to 70 percent of male wages.

10.9 WOMEN’S OCCUPATIONS AND POSITIONS IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

It seems very clear that the situation in the tourism industry

resembles the one in the labour markets in general. As in many other

sectors, there is a significant horizontal and vertical gender

segregation of the labour market in tourism. Horizontally, women and

men are placed in different occupations women are being employed as

waitresses, chamber maids, cleaners, travel agency sales persons,

flight attendants etc. whereas men are being employed as barmen,

gardeners, construction workers, drivers, pilots etc. Vertically the

typical gender pyramid is prevalent in the tourism industry lower

levels and occupations with few career development opportunities

being dominated by women and key managerial positions being

dominated by men.

In the broadly defined services sector in the Anker report (ILO,

1998) women and men are nearly equally involved in the workforce

(44 percent women), slightly more than in the global non agricultural

workforce in the 41 countries studied by Anker (about 40 percent) and

significantly more than in the overall global workforce (34 percent,

ILO data from 82 countries). Examining the occupations more

particularly relevant to the tourism sector one can see that more than

90 percent of people working in catering and lodging as waitresses,

bartenders, maids, babysitters, cleaners, housekeeping helpers,

launderers, dry cleaners and the like are women.

Vertical segregation of the labour market in the service and

administrative / management sectors effects the situation in the labour

markets in general. Women around the world have achieved higher

levels of education than ever before and they, today, represent more

than 40 percent of the global workforce.

Women are much more likely to be employed on a part time

basis than men are. Although this allows them to accommodate the

various responsibilities plus their work outside the home, it does have

significant drawbacks in many cases, lower pay per working hour,

fewer advancement opportunities, less formal training, less protection

from unemployment etc.

10.10 CREATING SELF EMPLOYMENT FOR WOMEN IN TOURISM & MAXIMIZING

BENEFITS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES Community based tourism initiatives, particularly of local

women’s groups and co-operatives, which can be an accessible and

suitable entry point for women into the paid workforce. They seem to

generate more long term motivation than initiatives from outside.

There are numerous examples where women and women’s groups

have started income generating activities on their own. These

activities help to create financial independence for local women and

challenge them to develop the necessary skills and improve their

education. Research has shown that financial independence and good

education lead to improved self esteem and more equitable

relationships in families and communities.

Many of the community based tourism initiatives depend upon

the conservation of natural resources, protected areas and national

parks around which they arose. Therefore, pro active protection of

natural resources in tourism destinations is needed to sustain the basis

of the livelihoods of community members being involved in tourism

activities. The same applies to the conservation of local cultures and

cultural heritage sites, which form the basis of many tourism

activities.

10.11 VARIOUS AVENUES OF EMPLOYMENT IN ECO – AGRI - RURAL TOURISM FARM

Table 10.3 : Employment in Eco-Agri-Rural Farm

Sr. No.

Particulars Types of Employees Total Employees

Skilled Semiskilled Unskilled Male Female Total

01 Reception Counter � -- -- 02 02 04 02 Transportation � -- -- 10 -- 10 03 Accommodation -- � -- 05 05 10 04 Cuisine -- � -- 05 05 10 05 Horticulture Operation -- -- -- -- -- --

a) Ploughing -- -- � 05 -- 05 b) Sowing & Plantation -- � -- 02 03 05 c) Weeding -- -- � -- 20 20 d) Fertilizer Application -- � -- -- 10 10 e) Irrigation Practices � -- -- 05 -- 05 f) Pesticide Spraying � -- -- 05 -- 05 g) Collection of Fruits -- -- � -- 10 10 h) Collection of Flowers -- -- � -- 05 05 i) Vegetable Collection -- -- � -- 05 05 j) Crop Harvesting -- -- � 05 -- 05

06 Dairy Supervisor � -- -- 01 -- 01 a) Milk Man -- � -- 05 -- 05

07 Poultry Farm � -- -- 05 05 10 08 Stall Fed Goat Farm � -- -- 02 -- 02 09 Fishery Farm � -- -- 05 -- 05 10 Medicinal Plantation � -- -- 05 -- 05 11 Apiculture Bee hive � -- -- 02 05 07 12 Sericulture Farm � -- -- 05 05 10 13 Nursery � -- -- 02 10 12 14 Adventure Sports � -- -- 02 02 04 15 Farm Guide � -- -- 01 01 02 16 Preservative Products � -- -- 02 10 12 17 Sale of Farm Products � -- -- 02 -- 02 18 Folk Artists � -- -- 05 10 15 19 Doctor � -- -- 01 -- 01 20 Security Guards -- � -- 02 -- 02

Total Number of Employees in the Farm :- 91 113 204

10.12 EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN PUBLIC SECTOR ENTERPRISES IN RURAL AREA

After conducting primary survey it is observed that following

number of rural people are employed in public sector enterprises

which includes ;

01 State Archaeological Department

02 Department of Forest and Environment

03 District Rural Development Authority

04 Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation

05 Public Works Department

06 State Electricity and Water Supply

07 State Agriculture Development

08 Zilla Parishad

Table 10.4 : Archaeological Survey of India

Sr. No. Employee Number 01 Manager 01 02 Clerical Staff 01 03 Chemical Staff 08 04 Gardners 03 05 Attendants 25

Total :- 38

Table 10.5 : Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation

Sr. No. Employee Number

01 Manager 01

02 Receptionist 01

03 Room Attendant 15

04 Cook 03

05 Waiters 10

06 Servants 05

07 Sweeper 02

08 Gardner’s 01

09 Eco – Friendly Buses --

a) Depot Manager 01

b) Booking Clerk 02

c) Drivers 05

d) Cleaners 03

10 Attendants for Parking Plaza 05

Total :- 54

Table 10.6 : Forest Department

Sr. No. Employee Number 01 Range Forest Officer 01 02 Assistant Planting Officer 03 03 Supervisor 03 04 Forest Guards 05 05 Attendants 02 06 Servants 05

Total :- 19

Table 10.7 : Public Works Department

Sr. No. Employee Number

01 Deputy Engineer 01

02 Junior Engineer 02

03 Civil Draftsman 01

04 Supervisor 01

05 Work Assistant 05

06 Maintenance Worker 05

Total :- 15

Table 10.8 : State Electricity Department

Sr. No. Employee Number

01 Deputy Engineer 01

02 Junior Engineer 03

03 Assistant Engineer 02

04 Wireman / Electrician 05

Total :- 11

Table 10.9 : Zilla Parishad

Sr. No. Employee Number

01 Block Development Officer 01

02 Gram Sevak 02

03 Record Keeper 02

04 Sevak 01

Total :- 06

Table 10.10 : Revenue Department

Sr. No. Employee Number

01 Nayab Tahsildar 01

02 Talathi 01

03 Kotwal 02

Total :- 04

Table 10.11 : Agriculture Department

Sr. No. Employee Number

01 Agricultural Officer 01

02 Junior Agricultural Officer 01

03 Supervisor 01

04 Assistant 03

05 Sevak 01

Total :- 07

Table 10.12 : District Rural Development Agency

Sr. No. Employee Number

01 Supervisor 01

02 Assistant 02

03 Sevak 01

Total :- 04

It is obvious from above data there are tremendous employment

opportunities for rural peoples, local farmers looking for

diversification through rural tourism and also for women and

disadvantaged groups or people who are living below poverty line.

These employment opportunities exist through eco tourism, agri

farm tourism also through public sector and private sector enterprises.

10.13 EMPLOYMENT GENERATION AND INCOME GENERATION IN AURANGABAD SITES BY ECO-AGRI-RURAL TOURISM

Introduction

Rural tourism sites create awareness about what the rural areas

have to offer. Tourism supports direct or indirect employment

opportunities in rural areas without adversely affecting agricultural

workforce. Overall, its contribution to rural economy is considered to

be substantial. It has helped in reducing the out migration by

providing employment opportunities in the villages by restructuring

rural entrepreneurial system.

It has been observed that rural tourism has become a source of

income for rural communities. As we know that majority of activities

in the rural tourism do not require advanced training local residents

with minimum training on skill development are capable of providing

services like food serving etc. Since tourism is accepted as a

legitimate form of economic development, it serves as a vehicle for

other types of business development opportunities for local

communities.

The overall goal of the rural tourism is to create a community

managed rural tourism model by strengthening sustainable livelihoods

of the local communities for the preservation and development of

local heritage of the villages. Due to the government initiative to

promote rural tourism a number of avenues for the employment of

local population have opened up. The direct and indirect sources of

income are enumerated below in following ways.

Figure 10.2 : Agri – Rural Tourism Avenues for Employment

01 Involvement of Agriculture Travel Agents, Tour Operators

to promote the eco – agri – rural tourism destination

Agri travel agents and tour operators play a vital role in

promoting the eco – agri – rural tourism destinations among the

visitor. These tour operators are private players. The offer different

types of packages to the tourist which varies across sites. The visitors

are taken to various places of attraction within surrounding of the

rural tourism sites. These agri tour operators create awareness among

them about the places of interests.

Young are getting employment opportunities through these agri

tour operators.

02 Village Internal Road Transportation

Rural entrepreneurs arrange the different modes of

transportation such as Bullock Cart rides, horse car rides, tractor rides

for local sightseeing, temples, historical monuments and buildings.

The rural entrepreneurs get income and revenue through these

mode of road transport.

03 Rural Accommodation

It is a new business opportunities in rural area. Due to

increasing congestion, pollution, pressures and tension of urban cities,

people enjoy rural accommodation in pollution free natural

surroundings.

The average price for one night accommodation including the

breakfast in a rural house is affordable to even budget tourist having

lower income. Due to lower investments, the rural community is

benefited and gets employment through rural accommodation.

04 Tour Guides

The employment of local youths as tour guides has given

gainful employment to a large number of unemployment in the

village. Since these youths are well acquainted with local

surroundings it is a worth experience for tourists who enjoy sight of

domes, temples, historical buildings and monuments, farms, forts,

working of grampanchayat, bhajan mandal, youth clubs.

05 Artists

Eco – agri – rural tourism provides ideal platforms for local

artists such as traditional dancers, performers, musicians, dholki

players, harmonium players, tal and mridinga performers, flute

players, tribal dancers, musicians, rural folklore, harvesting dance and

songs, mythological plays and drama, actors with music entertainment

and dances to exhibit their talent and get employment.

06 Craftsman

Eco – Agri – Rural Tourism provides ideal platform for local

craftsman to exhibit and sell their indigenous products which

showcase culture, traditions and heritage to the tourists. Local

craftsman such as weavers, potters, earthenware makers, wood

carving, metal statue makers, leather jogis, chappals, painters,

embroidery makers, bamboo basket makers, various handicraftsman,

handloom makers, produce handicrafts and handlooms. All these

products produced by craftsman are eco-friendly. Eco – agri – rural

tourism helps all craftsman sustain their livelihood.

07 Entertainment

Rural folklore, music, cultural activities provide unique

entertainment for the urban tourists. Entertainment activities such as

puppet shows, street theater and entertainment with animals like i)

Snake Charmers ii) Monkey Tricks, Dogs iii) Parrot Astrologers,

Cock Fight, Goat Fight and iv) Songs of Vasudeo.

From all entertainment activities above traditional rural

entertainers get employment.

08 Rural Cuisine

Mouthwatering local, rural dishes are offered to the tourists,

who relish them. Delicious dishes like Amba Poli, Zunka Bhakar,

Thecha, Vanga Bharit different types of chatnis, papad, pickles etc.

Eco – agri – rural tourism helps promoting rural cuisine and which

provide large scale employment to the rural women’s, men’s in the

village.

09 Rural Adventure Sports

Rural sports such as mountain trekking, surparambya,

swimming in well, canal, river, jungle safari, fishing, boating. Above

sports provide employment to local youth as coach trainers.

10 Fairs and Festivals

India is a country known for its various fairs and festivals. The

handicrafts and rural art products have been marketed by participation

in various exhibitions, known as fairs and mela’s, local fairs and

festivals like Devi Mahotsavas, dassera, ganesh festival attract lot of

visitors.

The customers obtains the products at fairs rate and since there

are no middle man involved, artisans get more profits. Sales of rural

products created out of our cultural heritage receive a great boost.

This also sustains the livelihood of our traditional artisans and

weavers.

11 Role of Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) in Employment in

Eco - Agri – Rural Tourism

One of the key stakeholders of the agri rural tourism is the

members of the Panchayati Raj Institution, the positive social impacts

occur only when strong leadership and repeated and new training

opportunities are offered. These PRI play a vital role in implementing

government schemes. They also ensure that there is proper

participation of all and more ownership taken by the community.

Through participation, contribution and monitoring by villagers rural

economy is improved by providing employment for villagers.

12 Employment Opportunities to Women

One of the most important aspects of Agri – Rural Tourism is

that is recognizes the role of women in civil society. Empowering the

rural women and providing them with employment opportunities, so

that they can become productive citizens of the global economy is the

primary aim of rural tourism. Rural tourism offers various

opportunities for independent income generation for women. Women

get employment opportunities through training on cuisine preparation,

crafts forms, hospitality management, institution building, self help

group. Bachat gat also provide credit facilities. Activities such as

papad, pickle making, chalk production, stationary preparation, post

cards, shopping bags, imitation jewelery, mehandi, embroidery,

designing, provide large scale employment to rural women.

13 Employment as Waste Disposers

Protections of environment is the primary aim of eco – agri –

rural tourism in villages. Primary aim of the villagers towards the

cleanliness, hygiene and sensitiveness towards environment. Villagers

are employed as waste disposers, sweepers to collect paper bags, cloth

bags, non degradable litter such as empty bottles, tins, plastic bags for

which they are paid regular monthly wages.

14 Employment for Rural Vendors

Rural tourism has a multiplier effect on rural economy. Apart

from tourism products, employment opportunities for common people

are created as follows;

i) Large number of tea stalls ii) Small restaurants iii) Pan shops iv) Florist, garland makers v) STD, PCO booths vi) Internet Café vii) Paper stall viii) Cold drink, juices

15 Employment through Hardware Structure

As local resources (labour and material) have been used to

construct the hardware structure like toilet, parking lot under the rural

tourism sites, a number of people get employment. Many of them are

employed to maintain the facilities and utilities being created in the

villages like sweepers, receptionists, watchmen, cook etc.

16 Employment through Selling of Agricultural Products

Villagers get various employment benefits through selling of

agricultural products like sale of food grains, pulses, oilseeds, fibers,

vegetables, fruits, farm fresh vegetables and animal by products

sericulture products, apiculture products, milk products, fruit

preservative products, chatnis, pickles, papad, eggs, poultry products.

Since villagers are selling these products without any middle men or

mediators, so that they can get direct profit through selling of these

products.

Eco – agri – rural tourism supports direct or indirect

employment opportunities in rural areas without adversely affecting

agriculture workforce. There are tremendous employment

opportunities for skilled, unskilled rural people, local farmers, women,

disadvantaged groups of rural areas and people who are living below

poverty line. It has been observed that eco – agri – rural tourism has

become a source of income for rural communities and reduces

migration and assists in it restructuring rural entrepreneurial system.

Hence some farmers from Aurangabad sites have already

started eco – agri – rural tourism and consequently some farmers local

entrepreneurs are willing to start eco – agri – rural tourism in rest of

Maharashtra and out of Maharashtra.

But as eco agri rural tourism gains momentum it is important

that development should be planned. If planned development is not

conducted there are ecological imbalances. Hence sustainable growth

of rural tourism is important.

REFERENCES

01. A. K. Raina, R. C. Lodha : Fundamental of Tourism System,

Kanishka Publishers and Distributors, 2004.

02. Sampatkumar Swain : Human Resource Development, Abhijeet

Publications, pg. 109, Delhi, 2006.

03. Ibid, pg. 141, 145.

04. Prof. O. P. Kandari, Ashish Chandra : Tourism Strategies for

rural development, pg. 4, Shri Publication and Distributors,

2004.

05. Dr. Anil Sharma : Tourism Management, pg. 323, Max Ford

Book Publications, New Delhi.

06. Mot. McDonald : Employment Generation, pg. 79, Ministry of

Tourism.

07. Primary data.

08. The Hindu : Survey of Indian Agriculture, 2005-2006.

09. Agricultural University’s diary