Status of Labour households and Marginal Farmers in Bihar: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

This study is based on the longitudinal information collected in the selected villages of Bihar. The data collected during 2010-11 and 2014-15 were analyzed using descriptive and econometric techniques. An attempt was made to analyze employment generation, income of different marginal farmers and labour households and the extent of indebtedness and earning prevalent among rural labour and marginal farm households in rural Bihar. The result indicated that the average size of landholding of labour and marginal farmers increased in villages under study because some of these households purchased land from other categories of households through their meagre savings possible due to increase in employment opportunity and wages, particularly in non- farm sector in Bihar. The levels of livelihood parameter are low on labour households, but they performed impressively during the recent past. The total values of assets of labour and marginal farms’ households under study has considerably enhanced during five years due to either possession of new assets, rejuvenation, and/ or value appreciation of the existing assets. Labour households earned a higher income than marginal household in 2014- 15 due to availability of non - farm employment and grants under social security schemes. There has been significant improvement in education level, asset possession and availability of facilities. However, social security programmes seem to be more robust than economic development programmes including agricultural development. The investment in human capital or skill development in rural area will be equally important in the endeavour for alleviating poverty and improving livelihood status. The complementarities among various types of infrastructures, institutions and development programmes need to be ensured to accelerate the process of poverty alleviation and improving livelihood in rural Bihar.