STATUS OF BELL AND BRASS METAL...

CHAPTER-IV

STATUS OF BELL AND BRASS METAL INDUSTRIES

Assam has its own tradition of metal manufacturing. Evidences of its metal culture

can be traced from the Archaeological evidences traced in the state (Goswami, 2009).

Articles made of bell and brass metals have facilitated this culture to spread in and outside

the state. But over the years, especially in the contemporary economic order of trade

integration, liberalization, foreign direct investment and transfer of technology, the

traditional cottage form of bell and brass metal industries of the state is facing uncertainty, as

it needs to perform in a competitive market environment. So, it is high time to evaluate the

status of the industry in terms of their spatial pattern, economic contribution and problems of

production and marketing and above all perception of the stakeholders of the sector to

mitigate the problems.

4.1. DISTRIBUTION OF BELL AND BRASS METAL INDUSTRIES

It has been already mention that the articles made of bell and brass metals in Assam

are popular form of traditional utilitarian items. Ahom and Koch kings pay due importance to

the production and products of bell and brass metal industries. During that period, bell metal

production centers were existed at Titabar, Raha and Dhekiajuli in eastern and central

Assam. However, these centres were disintegrated during the colonial period and confined

mainly to Sarthebari region of western Assam. On a limited scale, the industry also exists at

some other areas of western Assam, like Kartimari-Asharkandi-Sapatgram, Bilasipara and

Gauripur (Fig 4.1). On the other hand, the brass metal centres are located in different parts of

the state. Hajo of Kamrup district and Sarthebari cluster of Barpeta district are two main

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centres of brass metal industry. The minor pockets of the sector are located at Mugkuchi of

Nalbari district, Uzan Bazaar and Athgaon in Guwahati of Kamrup district, Silchar of Cachar

district, Kakojan of Jorhat district, Methdung of Sibsagar

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district, Kartimari and Asharkandi of Kokrajhar district; Sapatgram, Bilasipara and Gauripur

of Dhubri district (Fig 4.2).

4.1.1. Sarthebari bell and brass metal cluster

Sarthebari bell and brass metal cluster is located in Sarthebari Revenue Circle within

Barpeta district of Assam (Fig. 4.3). Within the cluster, there exist bell metal production units

in Sarthebari, Namsala, Palla, Karakuchi, Gomura, Kalatoli, Botia, Bamunpaka, Amrikhowa,

Lochima, Kamarpara and Singra villages (Fig.4.4). Available information reveals that under

the cluster, there are 284 bell metal production units and 1260 artisans. Therefore, the

average unit size of bell metal production unit under the cluster is 4.44 workers. The 12

villages of the cluster have a total population of 25,038 persons in 4385 household (Table

4.1). Therefore, average household size stands at 5.71

Table 4.1: Work force of Sarthebari bell metal cluster

Sl. No. Name of the

village/town

T P LP No. of

HH

P H size TW Ma.W HHI BMU BMW

1 Bamunpaka 572 311 115 4.97 142 02 04 02 10

2 Amrikhowa 5,546 4,097 968 5.73 1595 379 333 15 105

3 Gomura 1,620 1,283 291 5.57 1416 25 181 41 191

4 Batia 504 373 95 5.31 178 16 43 02 19

5 Kalatoli 648 430 125 5.18 346 158 181 01 05

6 Kamarpara 911 594 167 5.45 244 30 20 01 04

7 Karakuchi 1,551 1,225 259 5.99 460 44 94 23 120

8 Lochima 1,961 1,487 343 5.72 438 38 106 08 32

9 Namsala 1,966 1,493 364 5.40 541 07 85 35 182

10 Palla 933 62 179 5.21 222 01 30 33 17

11 Singra 1,198 762 211 5.68 562 181 80 01 06

12 Sarthebari 7,628 6,208 1268 6.02 2257 243 646 152 537

13 Others ------ ------- ------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ 32

Total 25,038 18,325 4385 66.23 7401 1124 1803 284 1260

Av or p c to its total -------- 73.19% 05.52 29.56 15.19 24.36 ----- 17.02

Source: Census of India 2001, field survey and records of Kanhar Silpi Sangstha, Sarthebari

N. B. TP-total population, LP-literate population, HH-household, PH- population per household, TW-total

workers, MaW-marginal workers, HHI-house hold industries, BMU-bell metal units, BMW-bell metal workers

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persons. Out of total population, 29.56 per cent workforce engaged in different field of

activities, indicating higher dependency ratio. The workers engaged as marginal and

household industrial category covers 15.19 per cent and 24.36 per cent respectively. So,

altogether 39.55 per cent of the workforce from the cluster engaged in marginal and

household industries within which 17.02 per cent engaged in bell metal production units.

Rest of the workforce, i.e. 60.44 per cent engaged in agriculture, service, trade and commerce

and other cottage industries like pottery, handloom etc.

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The NGOs, Central and State Governments, Financial Institutions and Co-operative

Societies are trying for all-round development of the industry. Specially, mention may be

made about contribution of the ACBMUMSL, a co-operative society of Sarthebari. The

society rendered services like supply of raw materials, charcoal and financial support to the

production units towards the development of bell metal industry.

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The very existence of bell metal industry in the cluster becomes possible for the bold

steps taken by the ACBMUMSL. The society has 12 branch-cum-sales centre in the state. In

Sarthebari cluster, there are at least twenty-five sales centres running under private

ownership along with one Branch Office and Head Office of ACBMUMSL. However, the

production units of the cluster are facing acute shortage of raw materials and charcoal.

Brass metal industry of Sarthebari Revenue Circle is popularly known as the “Sarai

Silpa”. The industry was developed in this region during the middle part of 19th

century

(Barman, 1995). Initially, it was limited to two villages namely Haldhibari and Baniakuchi.

Now, units of brass metal industry are functioning at 17 different villages under the cluster

(Table 4.2).

Table 4.2: Workforce of Sarthebari brass metal cluster

Source: Census of India, field survey, and records of Pital Silpi Sangstha, Baniakuchi

N. B. TP-total population, LP-literate population, HH-house hold, TW-total workers, MaW-marginal workers,

HHI-house hold industries, BrMU-brass metal units, BrMW-brass metalworkers * information includes

Sl No Name of the

village/town

TP LP No. of

HH

HH size TW Ma W HHI

workers

No. of

Br.M U

Br.

MW

1 Amrikhowa 5,546 4097 968 5.73 1595 379 333 09 21

2 Baghmara 1096 647 186 5.89 326 80 32 05 17

3 Baniakuchi* --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 15 65

4 Barkapla 892 587 150 5.95 279 81 80 08 35

5 Belbari 2059 1504 317 6.49 482 05 26 08 26

6 Bengapara** --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 02 12

7 Byaskuchi 3767 2343 687 5.48 973 187 42 04 10

8 Chinadi 1477 1044 255 5.79 473 292 142 01 05

9 Gohia 1430 944 276 5.18 532 186 53 02 09

10 Haldhibari 2091 1419 359 5.82 365 53 177 07 45

11 Hilepara*** --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 08 35

12 Kamarpara 911 594 167 5.45 244 30 20 01 16

13 Lochima 1,961 1487 343 5.72 438 38 106 08 32

14 Nasatra 443 344 50 5.54 98 17 11 04 18

15 Rampur 535 411 82 6.52 118 14 08 01 01

16 Rauly 786 582 134 5.86 255 46 11 04 18

17 Singra 1198 762 211 5.68 562 181 80 04 10

18 Others ----- ---- ---- ---- ----- ----- --- --- 27

Total 24192 16765 4185 ---- 6740 1589 1121 91 402

Av /P C to total ---- 69.30 05.74 5.74 27.86 23.57 16.63 ---- 05.96

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with village Haldhibari,**information includes with village Lochima ***information includes with village

Haldhibari.

The Sarthebari cluster has 91 brass metal production units and 402 artisans involved

therein. Average workers engaged in each production unit stands at 4.42. Out of total

population, 27.86 per cent engaged as workforce in different field of activities, which

indicates a higher dependency ratio. The workers engaged in marginal and household

industrial worker category represented 23.57 per cent and 16.63 per cent of work force

respectively. So, altogether 40.20 per cent of the work force of the cluster engaged in

marginal and household industries. Among them, only 05.96 per cent workers engaged in

brass metal sector. Rest of the work force, i.e. 59.80 per cent engaged in agriculture, service,

trade and commerce and other cottage industries like pottery, handloom etc.

The artisans of this industry are mostly engaged in production of sarai, japi, tray,

gasa, spoon, handle tou etc. The smithy owner or master artisans of the production units are

entangled the duty for construction of work shade, collection of raw materials, charcoal and

coke and sale of finished products. They are maintaining business relation with mahajans and

traders resides mainly near by Baniakuchi. Some of the production units procure raw

materials directly from the Guwahati based mahajans from their own capital. Despite the past

glory and subsequent development initiative, the bell and brass metal industries of the cluster

is suffering from various internal, external and operational problems.

4.1.2. Barpeta Road brass metal centre

The town Barpeta Road is situated within the Barnagar Revenue Circle of Barpeta

district, Assam. The centre is the third commercial town in the state (Merinews, 2011). The

town is located at a distance of 6.3 km from Hauli and 19.1 km from Barpeta town (Fig.4.3).

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The town has a total population of 35,725 and literacy rate stands at 73.23 per cent.

Out of total population, 11,935 (33.41%) engaged in economic activities. Again, 788

(02.21%) and 669 (01.87%) people engaged in marginal works and household industries

(Census, 2001). The town has 6 brass metal production units where 22 artisans are involved.

The youths of the locality have assisted by training offered by the master artisans of

Sapatgram and Sarthebari. Production units receive raw materials from the local traders of

Sarthebari, Pathsala and Barpeta Town.

The artisans and traders of brass metal industry had come to the locality at the time of

partition of India. However, they shifted to Raniganj of West Bengal at the time of Bhasa

Andolan (language movement) of Assam, during 1964-72. After the movement, they again

came back and settled at Barpeta Road. The artisans of Barpeta Road produce lota, manipuri

ghoti, heta, khanti, glass, kahi and bati. Kahi-bati produces from brass metal in this centre

look like bell metal products, because of their glaze added by layer called mosaic gold.

4.1.3. Western Assam bell and brass metal cluster

The Zamindars of Abhayapuri, Gauripur and some other pockets of western Assam

used to give special importance to bell and brass metal workers and provide encouragement

to them (Goswami, 2009). Such patronization is responsible for the continuation of these

traditional industries in this part of the state.

4.1.3.1. Kartimari-Asharikandi-Sapatgram bell and brass metal centre

This minor pocket of bell and brass metal production centre is located in Bhaoraguri

Revenue Circle of Kokrajhar district and Bagribari Revenue Circle of Dhubri district, Assam.

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Sapatgram is a town having 2,308 household with a total population of 12,126. Therefore, the

average household population size of the town is 5.25 and the rate of literacy stands at 75.98

per cent. Total working force of the town is 3,689 representing 30.42 per cent of the total

population (Census, 2001). Kartimari-Asharikandi centre is located towards the north east of

Gosaigaon at a distance of 20 km. and vicinity to Sapatgram town. The village Kartimari-

Asharikandi has a population size of 884 in 175 families. The average household population

size is 5.05 persons and the rate of literacy stands at 38.69. Out of 884 persons 190 (21.49 %)

belongs to schedule caste community. The total working force of the village is 222,

representing 25.11 per cent of the total population (Census, 2001). Out of the total work

force, merely 14 (6.3 per cent) people engaged in household industry (Fig 4.5 and 4.6).

The Asharkandi-Kartimari is the only bell and brass metal location of BTAD area.

Formerly, there were more than 35 families engaged in both the industries and able to earn a

sizable benefit from it (Amar Asom, 2009). Now, the centre (including Sapatgram) has only 6

bell and 5 brass metal production units with the involvement of 30 and 15 artisans

respectively. Lack of sufficient working capital, frequent price hike of raw materials and

energy, shortage of raw materials and energy, poor transport facility, lack of efforts put in by

the government and financial institutions are some of the key problems of these industries in

this locality.

The workers of the centre are regarded as kanhar, karikar, or silipi. They are

producing kahi, bati etc. of different size and shape after receiving raw materials from local

traders. The workers receive 60 grams as mulmora against per kg of raw materials and rupees

110/ kg for bell metal and 80/ kg for brass metal at an average as making charge of the

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finished products (Mirdha, 2009). Traders collect raw materials from Barpeta Road, Koch

Bihar, Falakata and Alipurduar and supplied to the production units. Charcoal is locally

available and coke is collects from Jogighopa of Goalpara district.

4.1.3.2. Bilasipara bell and brass metal centre

Bilasipara is one of the oldest centres of bell and brass metal industries of Assam

(Fig. 4.5). The centre is located at Bilasipara Revenue Circle under Bilasipara Sub-division

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of Dhubri district. The centre has a total population of 31,171 (Census, 2001). Out of this

total population 21.83 per cent belongs to schedule caste and 0.27 per cent schedule tribe.

Literacy level stands at 66.74 per cent. Where as, the percentage of workers to total

population is 30.70 (9570 persons) per cent. Altogether, 8 bell and 5 brass metal units are

operational in the area and these units supports 34 and 16 artisans respectively. Products

of the centre include jail bati, jail kahi, plain bati, plain kahi, etc. from brass and Bengali

bati, Manipuri bati from bell metal. These items are produced from the raw material supply

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from local traders and customers. The workers i.e. artisans of bell and brass metal units are

regarded as kanhar, karikar or silpi.

4.1.3.3. Gauripur (Subhaspalli) bell and brass metal centre

Gauripur is located in Dhubri Revenue Circle in the district of Dhubri, Assam

(Fig.4.5). As per the census of 2001, total population of the area is 25,002. Gauripur is a

small but beautiful town situated on the bank of the river Gadadhar, an important route of

riverine transportation. In the north-eastern side, on small hilltop Matiabagh the

“Hawakhana” palace is situated. Zamindar of Gauripur constructed the palace. The

Asharkandi village, famous for terracotta industry is situated by the side of the river

Godadhar. The National Highway 31 runs across the town. Literacy level of the town stands

at 75 per cent, higher than national average of 59.5 per cent. Of the total population, 8148

(32.59%) engaged in different activities. Out of this total work force, 520 and 519 persons

are engaged in marginal and household industries. The centre has one bell metal and two

brass metal production units where 10 artisans are involved. Raw materials are collected

from hawkers, customers and sometimes from places like Barpeta Road, Koch Bihar,

Falakata and Alipurduar.

4.1.4. Mugkuchi brass metal centre

Mugkuchi is an important village of Bahjani Mauza under Nalbari District, Assam

(Fig 4.7). The village has 396 household and 2,275 populations according to 2001census.

Therefore, the average person per household is 5.62. The literacy rate of the village is 75.33

per cent. Out of the total population, 29.66 per cent are main workers. Among them, 1.08 and

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1.84 per cents engaged as marginal and household workers respectively. The village has long

history of cottage industries like japi made of bamboo and cane, pottery, brass metal

industry, raas (items used in hand loom) made of bamboo, black smithy etc. However, the

art of making brass metal articles of the centre is not very old and the first garhsal at

Mugkuchi was established some 50-55 years back.

The centre has 6 brass metal production units and 25 artisans involved therein. They

produce sarai, japi, heta and spoon. Raw materials are collected from traders of Sarthebari

(Baniakuchi), Hajo or from Guwahati base traders.

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4.1.5. Hajo brass metal centre

Niz Hajo popularly known as Hajo is situated in Hajo Revenue Circle of Kamrup

district, Assam (Fig. 4.8). According to census report 2001, the centre has total population

13,473 accounting for 5.38 persons per household. Literacy rate of the centre is 71.04 per

cent (9571 persons). The percentage of working population is 24.78 per cent (3,339 persons).

Out of the total workforce, 14.62 and 11.29 per cents are engaged in marginal works and

household industries respectively.

Hajo is famous for its brass metal industry among the few pockets in the state. The

centre has 224 brass metal production units, where 367 artisans are involved. The artisans of

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the cluster have no alternative to their job, as they have no land for alternative like

agriculture. Lower level of literacy also restricts them from other alternative forms of

livelihood. The majority of workers have no working capital to run their production units.

Therefore, they work for the traders on wage basis. The Guwahati base and local traders

supplied the raw materials to the artisans and collect the finished products paying the

production charges on per kilogram basis, depending on the type and size of the products.

Some of the production units, though limited in numbers, used to collect raw materials from

their own capital and sale the products to traders, mahajans and customers.

The products manufactured in the centre are mostly traditional household and

religious utensils like kalah, sarai, kharahi, tou, thali, heta, spoon, jug, glass, dunari and

fancy items as phuldani, figures of animals, birds and human beings. The earnings of the

artisans of the centre depends upon the factors like supply of raw materials, traders artisans

link, market potentiality of products, rate of production as well as weather conditions as the

artisans generally do not have working shed with sufficient space to carryout production and

compel to rendered services in open space. The local traders collect raw materials from

Guwahati base traders and supplying the same to the production units to produce articles on

wage basis. Some of them collect raw materials from out side the state. Products of bell metal

are also brought from Sarthebari bell metal cluster for sale.

4.1.6. Guwahati bell and brass metal cluster

Guwahati is the capital city of Assam and act as gateway of North East India (Fig

4.8). The city is located in Kamrup district. It is an important centre of education, trade and

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commerce. Guwahati is a rapidly growing city. According to census report 2001, the

population of the city is 8, 08,021. The literacy level is 78 per cent. Trade and commerce,

transportation and services are the chief economic activities of the city. A small parts of

Guwahati’s economic activity is associated with manufacturing industries, print and

electronic media, tourism, business related to finance and real estate development.

Comparable to these economic activities, the bell and brass metal industries have very

negligible share. It has been already stated that some production units of bell metal industry

were seasonally shifted with their tools and equipments from Sarthebari area to different

places of Assam. Reportedly, the workers had settled at Kalbari, Maligaon, Fatasil Ambari,

Kumarpara and North Guwahati of Kamrup district and many other places of Upper part of

Assam (Patowari, 2009). At present, only two such production units have found at

Ganeshpara, during field investigation. These two units have seasonally shifted from village

Gomura of Sarthebari bell metal cluster. In these units eleven artisans are involved in the

process of production. Apart from these, other two traditional brass metal units are also

operational in the city. The production unit located at Uzan Bazaar area involves Muslim

Maria family and only two workers are engaged in the unit. While, the production unit of

Athgaon Bazaar thrives somehow by the efforts put in by a Bengali artisan. Apart from

these, two machines made brass metal industrial units that are also functioning in the cluster.

N. K. Production has established in 2005 at Ganeshpara locality of the Guwahati city. Now,

it has twenty-two workers. The unit collects raw materials from metal stores of Fancy Bazaar

area. The unit produces at an average 40 tonnes of brass metal articles per year after

consuming about 6 tonnes of coke. In the process of production, the workers use polishing,

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cutting and grinding machines. Sri Balaji Industries Limited is located at Fancy Bazaar area

of Guwahati and engages about 80 workers. This industry receives raw materials from

hawkers and collects from different parts of the country. The unit sales the machine made

household utensils and traditional products mainly coming from other producing cluster

through its sale counter. The industry is able to maintain a marketing network all over the

state. The field survey reveals that, apart from private sale centres, there are four Branch-

Cum-Sale office of ACBMUMSL of Sarthebari, located at Fancy Bazaar, Paltan Bazaar,

Ganeshguri and Durga Mandir (Dispur) locality of Guwahati city. These branches use to sale

bell metal products supplied by head office of ACBMUMSL, Sarthebari and brass metal

products collects from Sarthebari and Hajo centre. Some of the sale centres of Guwahati

cluster use to sale machine made products. However, the machine made products are cheaper

in comparison to traditional products. The difference of price between machine made and

traditional products varies from rupees 50 to 200 per kg.

4.1.7. Silchar brass metal centre

Silchar is one of the important urban centres in Barak Valley and headquarter of

Cachar district of Assam (Fig 4.9). It is situated on the left bank of the river Barak and to a

little north, the hills of North Cachar rise sharply from the plain. Silchar constituted a

municipality in 1893 (Bhattacharjee, 2008). The city is the gateway to the neighbouring state

of Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura. The city is considers as the second largest commercial

centre of Assam and has tremendous commercial importance for the state. Approximately, 90

per cent residents of Silchar are Sylhetis, the rest being Marwaris, Bishnupriya Manipuri,

Manipuri-Meiteis, and some tribal groups like Nagas. The Sylhetis settled here after

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migrating from Sylhet, a district of undivided India (now in Bangladesh) at the time of

partition of the nation in 1947. Over the past few years, the city is constantly witnessing a

huge influx of people from near by smaller places due to the city’s increasing prospects and

other development in the field of education, medical facilities and the more recently booming

real estate market and other commercial business, marketing the city over crowded.

The total population of the city is 1, 56,998 and literacy level is 77.24 %. Total

working population of the city is 29.41 per cent among which 8.1 per cent engaged as

marginal workers and 1.2 per cent engaged in household industries. The city has 8 brass

metal production units located at Radha Madhab and Sonai Road locality where 25 artisans

are involved. The number of brass metal artisan is very nominal in respect of total workers of

the city. These artisans of this industry came to Assam from Sylhet district of Bangladesh at

the time of partition and settled as pital karikar (craftsman) or silpi (artist). They produce

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kalah, gumla, lota etc. Production units receive raw materials directly from the hawkers.

Apart from the craft, the artisans are also engaged in other part time works in lean season.

4.1.8. Methadung brass metal centre

Methedung is located in Sibsagar Revenue Circle of Sibsagar district, Assam (Fig

4.10). The village has total population of 648 persons in 114 household. Literacy rate of the

village stands at 82.56 per cent. Out of its total population 46.61 per cent have engaged in

different economic activities. The workers engaged as marginal and household industries are

25.15 and 0.15 per cent respectively (2001census). The centre has 2 production units

operated by 7 artisans of brass metal sector.

4.1.9. Kakojan brass metal cluster

The village is situated in Demow Revenue Circle of Jorhat District, Assam (Fig 4.11).

The total population of the village is 488 and literacy rate is 77.05 per cent. Workforce

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constitutes 45.90 per cent of its total population. Among them, 60.27 and 14.28 per engaged

as marginal workers and household industries respectively. This minor brass metal pocket

has 6 production units involving 21 artisans.

4.2. CONTRIBUTION TO STATE’S INDUSTRIAL SECTOR

The development parameters of contemporary societies are framed mostly on

economic situation. Again, assessment of economic situation of a society is based on income

of the people, living standard, state of material culture, production system and products, role

of financial institutions and their mode of operation along with the role of administrative

institutions. The economy of the state of Assam is primarily agrarian by nature as majority of

its workforce has engaged in agriculture and allied activities i.e. 69 per cent according to

census report 2001.

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The state has one of the most fertile stretches of land in the Brahmaputra and Barak

valley in India, which is suitable for cultivation of wide variety of food and cash crops on

commercial basis. The principal food crop is rice and cash crops are jute, tea, coffee, cotton,

oilseeds and sugarcane. The state has an estimated 39. 44 lakh hectares gross cropped area,

off which net area sown is about 27.01 lakh hectares. The climatic condition favours the

growth of a variety of fruits, vegetables and spices including orange, banana, pineapple,

areca nut, coconut, guava, mango, jackfruit, citrus fruits, ginger, turmeric, chillies, potatoes,

garlic, etc. Assam is the largest producer of tea in India. The state accounts for nearly 53 per

cent of all India production and about 17 per cent of the world production. For better

marketing of tea produced in the north-eastern states, ‘The Guwahati Tea Auction Centre’

(GTAC) was established in 1970. This is the second largest centre in terms of total tea

auction. About 17 per cent of the total works force of the state engaged in tea industry.

The income and economy of a state mainly depends upon the development of

industrialisation process. The industrial scenario of Assam is, however, confined mainly

within the growth of employment oriented small-scale sector. In the arena of country’s

medium and large-scale industries, the state’s share is less than two per cent. The

contribution of manufacturing sector to the state’s economy was 9.3 per cent in 2008-09.

The state is rich in natural resources like oil and natural gas, coal, rubber; minerals

like granite, limestone along with forest and water resources. Assam has the oldest refinery in

the country that setup at Digboi. The state endowed with oil shale reserves, estimated at 137

billion tonnes. The state has significant reserve of low ash high sulphur coal. Assam also

accounts for one of the biggest pool of professional and skilled work force engaged in the oil

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and petroleum industry (Dhar, 2005). The declaration of the Brahmaputra as a natural water

way has facilitated transport of raw materials and project equipments for growth of the oil

sector. The exploitation of minerals in the state mainly comprises of petroleum, natural gas,

coal, limestone and other minor minerals.

Assam is one of the most beautiful states of our country. The natural landscape, rich

flora and fauna, lush green forests and wild life parks and sanctuaries offer a wide variety of

choice to the tastes of tourists. The state has known for her historical monuments, pilgrimage

spots, tea gardens and its mosaic of cultural festivals.

However, only the establishment of large scale industries cannot bring economic

prospect of a state like Assam, which suffers from transport bottleneck as well as market. In

this regard, small scale industries can act as an instrument to developed local initiative, local

raw materials, local workers, local finance, and local as well as regional needs. The small-

scale industries act as a complementary force to large industrial sector by supplying

components and intermediate products. In the economically backward state like Assam,

village and cottage industries have played an important role, though due attention is not yet

given to the sector. There is ample scope for development of these industries based on

resource and traditional skill available in the state. The development of these types of

industries have not only mobilise local resources but will also generate employment

opportunities and increase income. Village and cottage industries have great importance in an

agrarian economy like Assam. Rural agricultural families of the state are getting subsidiary

occupation from these industries. As these industries require minimum working capital,

simple tools and implements, rural families can easily run these industries.

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At the end of December 1995, Assam had 18,637 registered industrial units (units

registered under Directorate of Industries, Assam) and employed approximately 84 thousand

persons. The village and cottage industries include handloom weaving, carpentry, sericulture,

rope making, bell and brass metal, cane and bamboo work, gold and silver work etc. The

state is known for its arts and crafts, which are essentially associated with the cottage form

industries. The workers of bell and brass metal industries have been working with their

traditional skills and tools handed over to them by their ancestors and engaged in production

of high quality aesthetic products. At present, not less than ten thousand peoples (males

only), directly or indirectly engaged in these industries. They are basically involved in the

process of production, supplying raw materials and energy, collection, distribution and

selling of products. Some of them also keep touch with government departments and other

financial institutions in meeting financial liabilities and requirement of the sector. At the

same time, this sector offer opportunities to rural artisans to counter act seasonal under

employment in agriculture by making uses of labour that might have otherwise be remain

unutilised. Apart from it, the industrial units of this sector are quick yielding with relatively

short gestation period, which is very essential in a developing economy characterised with a

high inflationary tendency. There is a need for the planners and the policy makers to put

emphasis on these industries as a tool for economic growth of the state.

4.3 PROBLEMS OF PRODUCTION

The production process and the producers of the bell and brass metal sector suffers

from the problems viz. supply of raw material, energy, fiancé, market etc. The study of the

perceptions of the workers involved in 41 bell and 55 brass metal units indicated three major

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problems faced by the production units (Table 4.3 and 4.4). The irregular and insufficient

supply of raw materials, energy and finance are the main problems of

Table 4.3: Production problems of bell metal units

Sl.No. Name of the

place

Problems Units

surveyed R M W M F EN WS

1 Sarthebari Cl. 36 01 05 32 36 14 36

2 Ganeshpara 02 02 00 02 02 00 02

3 Western Assam 03 00 03 03 03 02 03

Total 41 3 8 37 41 16 41

P. C. to total 100.00 07.32 19.51 90.24 100.00 39.02 100.00

Source: Field Survey, 2008-09

Note: RM-raw materials, W-workers, M-marketing, F-finance, EN-energy and WS- work shed.

Table 4.4: Production problems of brass metal units


Note: RM-raw materials, W-workers, Man-management M-marketing, F-finance, EN-energy and WS- work shed

production. All the production units, i.e. 100 per cent pointed out to the problems of

insufficient supply of raw materials and energy. Because of the non-availability of quality

raw materials, bell and brass metal artisans of Assam are using moulded raw materials or

scraps available in the local market. As a result, quality of products suffers. The owners of

garhsals are facing difficulty from irregular and insufficient supply of good quality raw

materials and energy. Shortage of raw materials and energy leads to increase of garhkhati (no

workday) of the artisans. Again, the price hike of charcoal and coke create problems to the

Sl.No. Name of the

place

Problems Units

surveyed RM W Man F M EN WS

1 Sarthebari Cl. 20 03 08 17 14 20 03 20

2 Hajo 22 00 02 22 00 22 11 22

3 Silchar 04 00 00 04 00 04 02 04

4 Guwahati 02 01 01 00 01 02 02 02

5 Mugkuchi 02 01 01 01 02 02 01 02

6 Barpeta Road 02 02 02 02 00 02 02 02

7 Western Assam 03 00 00 03 00 03 03 03

Total 55 07 14 49 17 55 24 55

P. C. to total 100.00 12.73 25.45 89.09 30.91 100.00 43.64 100.00

154

workers, as they have to bear the expenditure of energy from their making charge of the

products. Therefore, the income of the workers engaged in bell and brass metal industries

become lower against involvement, which made their financial conditions measurable.

Finance is another major problem of production units which is revealed by 90.24 and

89.09 per cent units of bell and brass metal industries respectively during the survey. Dearth

of working capital is a common problem of production units faced by the artisans while

producing articles, except a very few number of units, those who buy raw materials from

own capital. In fact, the artisans of these industries are financially weak and depend largely

on village moneylenders. The village moneylender’s charges high rate of interest that raises

the cost of production. Necessary funds have not at all made available to these rural artisans

by the recognised financial institutions as the recovery position is very poor. Again, the

formalities required for support from the financial institutions are generally beyond the

knowhow of the artisans. Therefore, the financial institutions too face problems in acting as

facilitators. Again, the loan sanctioned in the name of artisans encourage the needy co-

partners (bhaigas) to misuse the funds, as the responsibility for arrangement of tools,

equipments, raw materials ,energy and working shed remains upon the master artisans. So, it

is necessary to sanction the loan amount in the name of master artisans for the effective uses

of such support. Apart from it, due to short security position of the artisans, the amount of

loan sanctioned against them is also very negligible. The responsibility of the financial

institutions ends merely with the release of funds against the name of the listed artisans.

Marketing is another major aspect to be considered for any production system.

However, only 7 surveyed units of bell metal industry directly buy raw materials from their

155

own capital and 3 units partly buy raw materials from own capital. In case of brass metal

industry under investigation, 22 (40%) units procure raw materials from their own capital. In

Sarthebari cluster 18 out of 20 units and all the surveyed units of Mugkuchi and Guwahati

centres of brass metal industry buy raw materials directly. So, 60 per cent brass metal

production units have no direct relation with raw material procurement. On the other hand,

among the bell metal units 75.61 per cent (31) fully and 3 per cent partly have no

involvement with marketing of raw materials and finished products. Response to the

problem of marketing is 19.51 and 30.91 per cent respectively for the bell and brass metal

industrial units. Apart from this, the workers of the production units are not yet designed any

strategy to understand the nature of demand of their products. Therefore, they are producing

articles according to their preconceived idea, without considering the market potentiality and

changing priority of the clientele. For this reason, the traditional products gradually failed to

cater the demand of the potential markets, both inside and outside the state.

The problems related to the workers in the production are found to be very negligible

as reflected by the opinions of 07.32 and 12.73 per cent for bell and brass metal units

respectively. Though, the working environment of garhsal is found to be unhygienic and

congestive for the workers and lack in exhibiting spaces for their products, about 60 per cent

of workers have no feelings about such problem (plate-16). Only 39.02 and 43.64 per cent

units of bell and brass metal industrial units have expressed it as a problem. Even in Hajo

brass metal centre, most of the working units have limited places under work shed and they

have rendered services at open spaces (plate-18). They are bound to close their works during

rainy season. The government has so far established two ‘Common Facilities Service Centre’

156

(CFSC) to offer basic infrastructure at Sarthebari and Hajo for the development of cottage

and small scale industries. However, the centres have not yet functioning. The artisans of

traditional bell and brass metal industries are used to work in an unhygienic environment.

They are not conscious about the type of precaution measures to be taken to work in such

working environment. Therefore, they are affected by different diseases comparatively at

lower age. For example, due to inhalation of Carbon Die Oxide and Carbon Monoxide the

workers of bell and brass metal industries suffer from lung diseases (Bhattacharya, 2009).

The tools, equipments and method of production are traditional too. Out of 41 and 55

units of bell and brass metal units surveyed, only 05 (12.2%) and 08 (14.55%) have expresses

their willingness to accept modernise method of production to cope with the changing market

environment. Others remain reluctant to the problem and wishes to produce articles as their

ancestors did. This is one of the major causes of low output against high inputs along with

lack of product diversification. The conservative attitudes of the people connected to these

industries have also attributed by ignorance and illiteracy which stands in the way of

modernisation and expansion of bell and brass metal industries. However, modernisation of

these industries can accelerate the rate of production against comparatively at low production

cost. Therefore, both the bell and brass metal industries cannot keep pace with changing

market environment in terms of their inputs and outputs.

Lack of trained manpower equipped with modern production knowhow is standing as

obstacle in the process of production of bell and brass metal industries. As a result, artisans

still follows the traditional methods of production. The training facilities offered to artisans

of Sarthebari and Hajo cluster through different government and non-government agencies to

157

up-grade both bell and brass metal industries have reflected (Table 4.5). But in most cases,

the artisans failed to maintain the standard for the want of proper tools and equipments and

even some of them are not fit for applying advance method of production for their lower

level of literacy. Again, the promotional agencies have not taken any follow up measures

after imparting training. Therefore, efforts taken from different angles have failed to induce

momentum to modernise both the sector of the state to compete with the machine made

products coming from outside states.

Table 4.5: Training facilities to artisans of bell and brass metal industries

Sl No Name of the

place and

industry

Year Training Agency Place &

duration of

training

No of

artisan

Training Remarks

With

stipend

Without

stipend

1 Sarthebari, BM 1990 DI, Govt. of Assam

through NSIC Ltd.

Sarthebari

15 days

10 Rs 20/

day

----- Experience not

applied

2 Hajo, Br.M 1993-

94

NEITO, Artisans from

Moradabad, financed

by SIDBI

Hajo

4 months

30 Rs. 25/ ---- Do

3 Sarthebari,

BM

2004 NEDFi, through

German Engineer

Sarthebari

15 days

20 ---- No

stipend

Effective, but

not applied

4 Hajo, Br M 2004 Do Hajo

15 days

15 --- Do Do

5 Hajo. Br. M 2004 SBI, LHO through IIT,

Ghy

Hajo

2 months

30 --- Do Supplied tools

are not in use,

except-1 artisan

6 Sarthebari, BM 2005-

06

Ad-hoc Pacifist

Organisation

Hajo, 15 days 50 Rs100/

day

--- Experience not

applied

7 Hajo, Br. M 2007 MSME, through

MHSC,Moradabad

Moradabad

30 days

10 Rs 100/

day

---- Feels need, not

in use

Source: Field Survey 2008-09 and information from respective departments/ organizations

Nature of production is another aspect to be considered upon which the production

and productivity depend. To understand the functioning of the sector, every garhsals have

been considered as units (Table 4.6 and 4.7). The units which operate for ten or more months

in a year are considered as continuous working units. All other units operated for less than

ten months in a year are considered as seasonal units. Out of 41 bell metal units studied in

three different locations, 87.80 per cent are found to be continuous working units. But, in

158

case of brass metal units, the share of continuous and seasonal units are almost equal. The

nature of production system is largely depends upon the supply of raw materials and energy,

interest of traders and motives of workers. However, supply of raw materials and energy are

the main controlling factors of the nature of production. On the other hand, the quantum of

products is controlled by the nature of production. Workers have to face the financial

problems to maintain their respective family, especially those involved in seasonal

production units. They are bound to search other works for slack season. For example, the

workers of Hajo brass metal industry are compelled to go for door to door search of jobs. The

workers of Silchar brass metal centre are busy in small business like selling vegetables

during slack season. Other seasonal workers of bell and brass metal industries are involved in

agricultural practices, though small in numbers.

Table 4.6: Nature of production units of bell metal industry

Source: Field Survey 2008-09

Table 4.7: Nature of production units of brass metal industry


Sl. No. Name of the place Nature of production Units surveyed

Continuous Seasonal

1 Sarthebari Cl. 31 05 36

2 Ganeshpara 02 00 02

3 Western Assam 03 00 03

Total 36 05 41

P. C. to its total 87.80 12.20 100.00

Sl. No. Name of the place Nature of production Units surveyed

Continuous Seasonal

11 Sarthebari Cl. 17 03 20

2 Hajo 04 18 22 3 Silchar 00 04 04

4 Guwahati 02 00 02 5 Mugkuchi 02 00 02

6 Barpeta Road 00 02 02

7 Western Assam 03 00 03

Total 28 27 55

P. C. to its total 50.91 49.09 100.00

159

4.4. COST- BENEFIT ANALYSIS

In the present study an attempt has been made to analyse the cost and benefit of

workers engaged in bell and brass metal industries as well as the workers engaged in sale

centres of bell and brass metal products. Descriptive statistics and percentage expressions

thereof are considered here to find out the inherent fact associated with the sector (Table 4.8

and 4.9).

Table 4.8: Raw materials collection system by the production units of bell metal

Source: Field Survey 2008- 09

Table 4.9: Raw materials collection system by the production units of brass metal

Source: Field Survey 2008-09.

The production process of the units of bell and brass metals have found to be dominated

by the supplier of raw materials, as 75.61 per cent of bell and 60 per cent of brass metal units

receives raw materials from the suppliers against making charges. Therefore, there lies the

chance of deprivation of the artisans from the actual income. Only 17.07 per cent of bell and

40.00 per cent brass metals units have bought raw materials directly from their own capital

Sl.

No.

Name of the

place

System of raw material procurement No. of unit

surveyed From own capital For making charge Maintain both system

1 Sarthebari 07 26 03 36

2 Ganeshpara 00 02 00 02

3 Western Assam 00 03 00 03

Total 07 31 03 41

P.C. to total 17.07 75.61 07.32 100.00

Sl.

No.

Name of the

place

System of raw material procurement No. of unit

surveyed From own capital For making charge Maintain both system

1 Sarthebari Cl. 18 02 00 20 2 Hajo 00 22 00 22 3 Silchar 00 04 00 04 4 Guwahati 02 00 00 02 5 Mugkuchi 02 00 00 02 6 Barpeta Road 00 02 00 02 7 Western Assam 00 03 00 03

Total 22 33 00 55 P.C. to its total 40.00 60.00 00.00 100

160

and earning is more than that of first group of units. The predominance of use of money for

raw materials procurement in Sarthebari cluster for bell and brass metal industries are seen.

In case of brass metal industry under Sarthebari cluster, out of 20 units surveyed, 18 units i.e.

90.00 per cent have collected raw materials from their own capital. Out of total units

surveyed 3 units maintain both the system in bell metal industry. The above analysis clearly

indicates the shortage of finance of bell and brass metal units under operation.

Apart from this, the distribution pattern of income to master artisans and their co-

partners of unit in operation is also one of the important aspects of analysis. Different

systems of profit distribution prevail in bell and brass metal industries. Among them the

kanhar-bhaiga, salary, daily wage, equal share and per kilogram making systems (Table 4.10

and 4.11).

Table 4.10: Profit sharing systems of artisans of bell metal industry

Sl.

No.

Name of the

place

Distribution system of profit Units surveyed

Kanhar-bhaiga Salary Wage Per kg. making

1 Sarthebari Cl. 30 03 02 01 36

2 Ganeshpara 02 00 00 00 02

3 Western Assam 00 03 00 00 03

Total 32 06 02 01 41

P. C. to total 78.05 14.63 04.88 02.44 100.00


The study reveals that the predominance of kanhar-bhaiga (78.05%) system of profit

sharing among the artisans of bell metal is prominent and at the same time the salary

(38.18%) and daily wage (32.72%) systems are prominent in brass metal industries. Other

systems such as salary (14.63%), wage (04.88%) and per kilogram making charge systems

(2.44%) are also the prevailing system of profit sharing in bell metal production units. Again,

161

the kanhar-bhaiga (01.82%) and equal share (14.55%) systems of profit sharing occupies

less importance in brass metal production units. Out of total brass units under

Table 4.11: Profit sharing systems of artisans of brass metal industry

Sl.

No.

Name of the place Profit sharing system Units

surveyed Kanhar-

bhaiga

Salary Wage Equal-share No bhaiga

1 Sarthebari Cl 01 18 01 00 00 20

2 Hajo 00 00 12 04 06 22

3 Silchar 00 00 00 04 00 04

4 Guwahati 00 01 00 00 01 02

5 Mugkuchi 00 02 00 00 00 02

6 Barpeta Road 00 00 02 00 00 02

7 Western Assam 00 00 03 00 00 03

Total 01 21 18 08 07 55

P. C. to total 01.82 38.18 32.72 14.55 12.73 100.00


survey, 07 units i.e. 12.73% have no bhaiga (co-partner) system and thus they have no

system of income sharing.

The working hours of bell and brass metal industries also affects the process of

production. Generally the workers of bell metal devote more daily working hours. They work

at an average 11 to 14 hours during peak season and 08 to 11 hours in slack season. On the

other hand, the artisans of brass metal industry works for 09 to 11 hours in peak season and

07 to 10 hours in slack season. During the field investigation it has been found that the

production system of bell metal industry is more labour intensive than brass metal industry.

Raw materials have to be gone through different stages to produce the required sheets to

produce the finished products in bell metal industries. But, raw materials used in brass metal

industry are available in market in the form of sheets and circles. Therefore, the artisans of

bell metal industry have to devote more working hours than the brass metal artisans.

162

Cost benefit analysis considers the different aspects of costs, depending upon the

system of raw materials procurement. The master artisan have to bears the responsibilities of

collection of raw materials, energy and other materials need by the unit in the process of

production. Master artisans who have financial capability use to buy raw materials from their

own capital. Others, those who are not financially sound, borrow the raw materials from the

traders against making charge. The cost of energy, minor materials and management

expenditure of their respective garhsal has to bear by the kanhar or master artisans of the

production units. Production unit which are buying raw materials have to sale the products

through different agencies according choice and business benefit. The production units which

collect raw materials from suppliers have no relation of marketing the products. Following

few information have shown the cost of production, profit of the units, kanhars and bhaigas.

For the purpose, the five years averages (2003-04 to 2007-08) situations for each parameter

have been considered (Table 4.12).

The bell metal production units bears the cost of charcoal that used as energy, cost of

minor materials and daily garhsal expenditure. The garhsal management cost of production

unit is more, if the kanhar served midday meal to his bhaigas or co-partner. Apart from

these, the production units of bell metal shifted seasonally (for example the Ganeshpara unit

shifted from Sarthebari cluster), has bears the expenditure of house rent and also the daily

expenditure for food. Therefore, the cost of production for both the units is more in

comparison to other location of production in Assam (table 4.12). The average production

cost of each kilogram products at Ganeshpara centre is Rs. 43.70, against Rs. 36.67 at

Sarthebari and Rs. 31.30 in the production units of western Assam. The artisans have to

bear the higher cost of production for the production of decorative items like dofla

163

Table 4.12: Cost of bell metal production units (raw materials for making charge system)

Sl.

No

Name of the

place

Raw

material

received

Energy

used in

bag.

Cost of energy in Rs. Other cost

in Rs.

Total cost

in Rs.

Unit

cost in

Rs. Rate/b cost

1 Sarthebari Cl. 55919.702 14918.6 119.58 1783978.20 266689 2050667.20 36.67

2 Ganeshpara 7036.600 1672.4 124.44 208110.00 99392 307502.00 43.70

3 Western Ass. 3200.400 812.0 102.23 83009.00 17160 100169.00 31.30

Total 66156.702 17403.0 346.25 2075097.20 383241 2458338.20 111.67

Av. to each item. 03.801/b 0.263/kg 119.24/b 31.37/kg 05.79/kg 37.16/kg 37.16


kahi, bati and production of big size bowl, bota, ban bati etc. as they need more hour and

energy. The production units of bell metal industry uses at an average 0.263 bag of charcoal

for each kilogram of products. Inversely, it can be said that the artisans have produces at an

average 3.801 kilogram of products for each bag of charcoal. The average rate of energy

(charcoal) used by the production units is high (Rs. 124.44/bag) at Ganeshpara of greater

Guwahati. As against this, the artisans of Western Assam bell metal cluster paying the cost of

energy at an average rate of Rs. 102.23/bag. Though the production units of Sarthebari

cluster exhibits medium average (119.58/kg) cost of energy use in the process of production,

some of the production units are producing decorative articles at high cost of production. For

these units, the average energy consumption and production cost goes up.

Generally, the production units of bell metal industry have been receiving raw

materials from traders. Prior to the British period, the producers used to receive raw materials

from the customers and produce them against making charge. But at present, the increasing

rate of raw materials compels the artisans to receive raw materials from traders against

making charges. Out of 41 units surveyed 26 units fully and 03 units partly receive raw

materials from mahajans, local traders, co-operative society, hawkers and customers for

164

making charges. The production units of Ganeshpara and Western Assam have fully receives

raw materials from traders for making charge. The study indicates that at an average a bell

metal unit earns Rs. 1,50,915.08 annually. Similarly kanhar and bhaiga receive Rs.40,797.08

and 26,474.98 respectively, if raw materials are received against making charges. Again, the

production unit earns Rs. 77.56 at an average against each kilogram of product, if received

raw materials against making- charge.

Table 4.13: Profit of bell metal units and artisans (raw materials for making charge

system) Sl.

No

Name of the

place

No of artisan Raw

material

used in

kg.

Making charge

receives in Rs.

Cost of

production

Profit to

unit

Profit to

kanhar

in Rs.

Profit to

bhaiga

in Rs.

K B T Rate Total

1 Sarthebari Cl 29* 125 154 55919.702 116.81 6532080 2050667 4481413 1196099 3274034

2 Ganeshpara 02 09 11 7036.600 101.18 711955 307302 404653 100790 303863

3 Western Assam 03 07 10 3200.400 107.94 345456 100169 245287 90212 155075

Total 34

141 175 66156.702 325.93 7589491 2458138 5131353 1387101 3732972

Av. to each item 384.63/A

1945.785/

U

114.72 114.72 /kg 37.16/kg 77.56/kg

29322.02/A

150915.08/U

40797.08

/k

26474.98/b


K- Kanhar, B-Bhaiga, T-Total, U-unit. * Includes three units partly receive raw materials for making charges

Excluding these units under discussion, 3 units partly bought raw materials from own

capital and produces articles (Table 4.14). They have no dearth of capital for buying raw

materials and expenditure to maintain their respective garhsals.

Table 4.14: Cost of bell metal production units (raw materials purchased from own capital)


Name of the

place

Cost of raw materials Cost of energy in Rs. Other

cost

Total cost

R M in kg. Rate in

Rs.

Total cost in

Rs.

CC used

in bag

Rate in

Rs.

Cost

Sarthebari Cl 9054.74 336.82 3051356 3530 122.04 430794 91267 3573417

Av. to total 02.57 kg/b ------ 336.99/kg 0.390/kg ---- 47.58/kg 10.08/kg 394.65/kg

165

The cost of production of articles includes the cost of raw materials, cost of energy

and other minor materials and garhsal management expenditure, if raw materials are

purchases from own capital. The average consumption of charcoal for each kilogram of

products is 0.390 bags as against 0.263 bags, in the groups of production units receives raw

materials for making charges. Inversely, the production units can produce 2.57 kilogram of

finished products using one bag charcoal against 3.801 kilogram for the units working under

making charge system. The total making cost (average value of five years) for each kilogram

of product is Rs. 394.66. The five years average benefits to these units have shown in the

following table 4.15.

Table 4.15: Profit of bell metal units and artisans (raw materials procured from own capital)

Name of

the place

No of

artisan

Raw

material

used in kg.

Products

sale in kg

Sale of

products

in Rs.

Cost of

production

in Rs.

Profit to

unit in Rs.

Profit to

kanhar in

Rs.

Profit to

bhaiga in

Rs.

K B T

Sarthebari

10 40 50 9054.74 8955.464 5522798 3573417 1949381 53095.40 1418427

Av. to total 181.09/A 179.11/A 616.69/kg 394.65/kg 217.67/kg

38987.62/

A

53095.40

/K

35460.67

/B

Source: Field Survey 2008-09 K-Kanhar (master artisan), B-Bhaiga (co-partner), T-Total, A-Artisan

The study reveals that the production units have able to received higher benefit, if

procure raw materials from own capital as against the units engaged in production from the

raw materials acquired from other sources. The five years average profit received by each

artisans of the group of production units that buy raw materials from own capital stands at

Rs. 38987.62 against Rs. 29322.02 for the groups of artisans of production units received raw

materials from traders (during the study period from 2003-04 to 2007-08). As a result, the

profit of kanhars and bhaigas are more for the second groups of artisans. The inherent fact is

that the second group of units as well as the artisans are able to get more profit than the first

166

group as they buy raw materials from their own capital and able to receive maximum benefit.

They are selling the products to the traders by a minimum margin to sell price. Again, the

production units who are buying raw materials directly try to produce best quality products.

These products are able to cater the need of the market at reasonably high value. Therefore,

the profit earn by them is higher than the first group artisans.

On the other hand the scenario of cost and benefit of operational units and artisans of

the brass metal industry is some what different from that of bell metal industry (Table 4.16).

The cost of production incurred by the units under study indicates the average cost of

production for the period 2003-04 to 2007-08.

Table 4.16: Cost of brass metal production units (raw materials for making charge system)

Sl

No.

Name of the place Production

in kg.

Cost of energy in Rs. Other cost Total

cost

Unit

cost

Rs/kg Energy supplied

(in tin)

Rate/tin Cost in Rs.

C CC C CC C CC T

1 Sarthebari Cl 2054.60 293.2 34.0 31 9.2 9042 308 9350 10936 20286 9.87

2 Hajo 20208.29 2887.0 307.0 31 8.93 87352 2685 90437 99400 189437 9.37

3 Silchar 2638.00 477.0 26.4 26.4 9.2 12125 229 12354 11282 23636 8.98

4 Barpeta Road 2205.80 312.2 34.4 26.4 8.8 8279 305 8584 10940 19524 8.85

5 Western Assam 2820.40 400.8 16.2 26.4 8.8 10455 275 10729 15140 25870 9.17

Total 29927.09 4370.2 418.0 141.2 44.93 127253 3802 131055 147698 278753 46.24

Av. to total 6.81/tin C

70.63/tinCC

.147/kg .014/kg --- --- 28.95

/tin

8.97

/tin

4.38/kg 4.94/kg 9.32/kg 9.32/kg

Source: Field Survey 2008-09. C-Coke, CC-Charcoal, T-Total

The production units received raw materials from traders in a condition that the

finished products must return to their respective suppliers and made the cost of production

from their end. Again, the production units receive 30 gram of additional raw materials for

each kilogram of products which are locally called mulmora. The average use of energy in

167

brass metal industry is very less in comparison to bell metal industry as the raw materials

used in the industry is ready for production in the form of sheet or circle. The main energy

source to this industry is coke. A very little amount of charcoal is used by the production

units to start fire in their forges. Cost of energy, minor materials and other garhsal

management expenditure are counted as cost of production which is to be bear by the units.

Average cost of coke is Rs. 28.95/tin and for charcoal Rs. 8.97/tin. At an average, the

production cost for energy is Rs. 4.38 and Rs. 4.94 for each kilogram of product. Therefore,

the cost of production for each kilogram of product is Rs. 9.32. Based on this calculation, the

profit of units and artisans under process of production has shown in the following table 4.17.

It is found that the production units, those receive raw materials from traders, profit is

associated with the making charge they received. Out of total 55 surveyed

Table 4.17: Profit of brass metal units and artisans (raw materials received for making charge)

Sl

No.

Name of

the place

No. of artisans Production

in kg.

Making charge

received in Rs.

Production

cost

Profit to

unit

Profit to

kanhar

Profit

to

bhaiga

K B TA Rate Total

1 Sarthebari

Cl.

02 03 05 2054.60 75.53 155186 20286 134900 67723 67177

2 Hajo 22 30 52 20208.29 61.35 1239685 189437 1050248 547010 503238

3 Silchar 04 03 07 2630.80 45.96 120910 23636 97274 55724 41550

4 Barpeta

Road

02 04 06 2205.80 70.02 155272 19524 135748 59752 75996

5 Western

Assam

03 04 07 2820.40 76.36 215379 25870 189509 99170 90339

Total 33 44 77 29919.89 ------ 1886432 278753 1607679 829379 778300

Av. to total 2.33

/unit

388.57/A 63.05 63.05/kg 9.32/kg 20879/A

53.73/kg

25133 /K 17689 /B

Source: Field Survey 2008-09 K-Kanhar, B-Bhaiga, TA-Total Artisans

units 33 units i.e. 60 per cent are belongs to this groups. In Hajo, Silchar, Barpeta Road and

Western Assam brass metal industrial centres, all units under study belongs to this group. On

the other hand, only 02 units from Sarthebari cluster produced brass metal products under

168

this group. All the units engaged in this group able to produce 29919.89 kilogram finished

product annually and the average production per artisans stands at 388.57 kilogram. Yearly

average profit of each artisan was found to be Rs. 20,878.95. As against this, the yearly

average to each kanhar and bhaiga was Rs. 25,132.70 and Rs. 17,688.64 respectively. Other

22 units under study have collected raw materials from their own capital and are selling

products to different sources. As a result, the income expenditure status of units and artisans

of this group is different from the units of first group (Table 4. 18 and 4.19).

Table 4.18: Cost of brass metal production units (collects raw materials from own capital)


Note: C-Coke, CC-Charcoal, K-Kanhar, B-Bhaiga, T-Total

Table 4.19: Profit of brass metal units and artisans (collects raw material from own capital)


Sl

No.

Name of the

place

Raw

material

used

Cost of raw

material

Cost of energy Other

cost

Total

cost Energy used Rate of energy Cost of energy in Rs.

Rate Total C CC C CC C CC T

1 Sarthebari

Cl

32854.4 238.79 7845351 4713.8 349.6 28.7 8.4 135282 2952 138234 314817 8298402

2 Guwahati 1243.4 235.95 293378 177.6 32.4 26.5 8.8 4709 286 4995 14140 312513

3 Mugkuchi 2487.6 253.78 631310 355.2 42.8 30.9 9.4 10992 404 11396 20011 662817

Total 36585.4 728.52 8770039 5246.6 424.8 86.1 26.6 150983 3642 154625 348968 9273632

Av. to total 402.04

kg /A

239.71

/kg

239.71

/kg

.143/kg .012 /kg 28.78

/tin

8.57 /tin 28.78

/tin

8.57

/tin

4.23/kg 9.54/kg 253.48

/kg

Sl.

No.

Name of the

place

No. of

artisan

Production

in kg.

Products sale in

Rs.

Production

cost

Profit of

units

Profit of

kanhars

Profit of

bhaigas Rate Total

K B T 1 SarthebariCl 18 61 79 32854.4 309.02 10152503 8298402 1854101 689573 1164528

2 Guwahati 02 01 03 1243.4 327.36 407039 312513 94526 72674 21852

3 Mugkuchi. 02 07 09 2487.6 349.00 868186 662717 205469 95189 110280

Total 22 69 91 36585.4 985.38 11427728 9273632 2154096 857436 1296660

Av. to total 402.04 /A 312.36

/kg

312.36/kg 253.48/kg 23671/A

58.88/kg

38974/K 18792/B

169

In the group mentioned above, 91 artisans engaged in the process of production in 22

units. Each artisan involves in the process to produce 402.04 kilogram finished products

annually. All total, they have to spend an amount of Rs. 8,770,035 at the average rate of Rs.

233.71/kg for the production of 36585.4 kilogram brass metal articles. The average cost of

production stands at Rs. 253.48/kg, including the cost of raw materials, energy, minor

materials, other expenditure made by the units.

Attempt has also been made to assess the profit of the production units, kanhars and

bhaigas involved in brass metal industry. Five years average rate of production has been

considered to assess average turnover. Again, the yearly average production of each artisan

has also computed based on total production of units and the number of artisans involved

therein. At an average, each artisan can able to produce 402.04 kilogram finished products

annually. The production units able to earn Rs. 58.88 for each kilogram of products after

deduction of production cost Rs. 312.36. The total amount earned by all units under study

stands at Rs. 2154096. The average amount earned by each artisan stands at Rs. 23,671,

which was higher by Rs. 2,792 than the brass metal artisan engaged in production against

making charge. Again, the kanhars of this group of production centres had able to earn an

average amount of Rs. 38,974 which is higher by Rs. 13,841 to the group workers on making

charge basis. But, the bhaigas (co-partner) of this group able to earn only Rs. 18,792, which

is Rs. 1103 higher than the other brass metal group studied. The income of bhaigas was very

less in comparison to the income of kanhars. This is because of the fact that the kanhars

collects raw materials from own capital and takes more share of the profit. They offer salary

or wage to their bhaigas.

170

To have an idea about the profit received by kanhars and bhaigas, an attempt has

been made to classify them according to profit earned by them in both the bell and brass

metal industries of Assam. The income of kanhars and bhaigas of bell and brass metal

industries have analysed separately for having a comparative picture (Table 4.20 to 4.23).

Table 4.20: Classification of kanhars in bell metal industry (based on 5 years average income)


Table 4.21: Classification of kanhars in brass metal industry (based on 5 years average income)


The kanhars of bell metal industry earned more profit than that of brass metal

industry. Maximum number of kanhars in bell metal industry belongs to the earning groups

of 40,000-50,000 and 50,000-60,000 representing 35.58 and 26.83 percent of kanhars

Sl. No Name of the place No. of kanhar in each income groups (income in thousand Rs.) Total No.

of

kanhars Very Low

‹30

Low

30-40

Medium

40-50

High

50-60

Very High

›60

1 Sarthebari Cluster 01 06 15 09 05 36

2 Ganeshpara 00 00 00 02 00 02

3 Western Assam 02 01 00 00 00 03

Total 03 07 15 11 05 41

P.C. to total 07.33 17.07 36.58 26.83 12.19 100.00

Sl. No Name of the place No. of kanhar in each income groups (thousand Rs.) Total No.

of

Kahnars Very Low

‹ 20

Low

20-30

Medium

30-40

High

40-50

Very High

›50

1 Sarthebari Cl. 00 05 06 08 01 20

2 Hajo 01 17 04 00 00 22

3 Silchar 04 00 00 00 00 04

4 Guwahati 00 00 01 01 00 02

5 Mugkuchi 00 01 00 00 01 02

6 Barpeta Road 00 01 01 00 00 02

7 Western Assam 00 00 03 00 00 03

Total 05 24 15 09 02 55

P.C. to total 9.09 43.64 27.27 16.36 03.64 100.00

171

respectively. However, the maximum number of kanhars of brass metal industry belongs to

the income groups of 20,000-30,000 and 30,000-40,000 and representing 43.64 and 27.27 per

cent of kanhars. The 12.19 per cent kanhars of bell metal industry are able to earn more than

60,000 annually. In case of brass metal industry, only 2 kanhars out of 55 are able to receive

more than 50,000 annually.

Table 4.22: Classification of bhaigas in bell metal industry (based on 5 years average income)


Table 4.23: Classification of bhaigas in brass metal industry (based on 5 years average income)


The bhaigas of bell metal industry belongs to low (20,000-30,000) and medium

income (30,000-40,000) groups representing 35.50 and 36.58 per cent respectively. At the

same time, the maximum bhaigas of brass metal industry belongs to the low (15,000-20,000)

and medium income groups (20,000-30,000), representing 46.02 and 24.78 per cent

Sl.

No

Name of the place No. of bhaigas in each income groups (thousand Rs.) Total No.

of bhaigas Very Low

‹20

Low

20-30

Medium

30-40

High

40-50

Very High

›50


2 Ganeshpara 00 00 09 00 00 09

3 Western Assam 00 07 00 00 00 07

Total 16 60 73 16 04 169

P.C. to total 09.47 35.50 36.58 09.47 02.37 100.00

Sl. No Name of the place No. of bhaigas in each income groups (thousand Rs.) No. of

bhaigas Very Low

‹ 15

Low

15-20

Medium

20-25

High

25-30

Very High

›30

1 Sarthebari Cl. 08 27 19 06 04 64

2 Hajo 09 17 04 00 00 30

3 Silchar 01 02 00 00 00 03

4 Guwahati 00 00 01 00 00 01

5 Mugkuchi 03 04 00 00 01 07

6 Barpeta Road 00 02 02 00 00 04

7 Western Assam 00 00 02 02 00 04

Total 21 52 28 08 05 113

P.C. to total 18.58 46.02 24.78 07.08 03.54 100.00

172

respectively. The highest income group (Rs.›50000) in case of bell metal industry represents

merely 02.37 per cent. Again, in case of brass metal industry the bhaigas of highest income

group (Rs.›30000) represent only 03.54 per cent. However, that the bhaigas of bell metal

industry have able to earn more profit than that of brass metal industry.

Depending upon the yearly income expenditure of families related to bell and brass

metal industries an attempt has been made to understand their economic status. The financial

year 2007-08 has been considered to analyse the situation. The families are divided into three

groups based on their annual income (table 4.24). The first group has been regarded as

families having surplus income. Out of total families under study, 117 i.e. 61.54 per cent

families falls in this group. However, 72 families, i.e. 41.38 per cent families have surplus

economic position and 45 families of this group i.e. 25.86 per cent families have surplus

income after addition of income from other sources. Otherwise, these 45 families have

included either balance income group or group in debt. Secondly, 23 families have balance

economic position. Here, we use the word balance to denote the families’ economic position

within the range of ± Rs. 2000. A total of 06 families have balance economic position after

income added from other sources. If not so, these 06 nos. or 03.45 per cent families have

economic position of ‘debt group’. The last group of families involve in debt. In this group,

34 families have shown deficit economic position, where 11 families i.e. 06.32 per cent have

involve in debt after addition of income from other sources. Though the number of families

in this group is less, there is a possibility of increase in their number. Attempt has also been

made to classify the families related to brass metal artisans in terms of their earnings for the

year 2007-08 (Table 4.25). In this classification, a total number of 98 families i.e. 65.34 per

173

Table 4.24: Economic position of bell metal artisan families

S

l. N

o.

Nam

e o

f th

e p

lace

No. of families in each economic class

To

tal

l N

o.

of

fam

ilie

s

Families having surplus

income

Families having balance

income

Families in debt

Fam

ily

in

com

e as

bel

l

met

al

arti

san

on

ly

Oth

er i

nco

me

add

ed

to

bel

l m

etal

arti

san

s fa

mil

ies

To

tal

Inco

me

surp

lus

wit

hin

Rs.

20

00

Inco

me

def

icit

wit

hin

Rs.

20

00

To

tal

Fam

ily

in

com

e as

bel

l

met

al

arti

san

on

ly

Oth

er i

nco

me

add

ed t

o

bel

l m

etal

art

isan

s

fam

ilie

s

To

tal

1 Sarthebari Cl. 62 39 101 17 05 22 21 09 30 153

2 Ganeshpara 09 00 09 00 00 00 02 00 02 11

3 Western Ass. 01 06 07 00 01 01 00 02 02 10

Total 72 45 117 17 06 23 23 11 34 174

P. C. to individual

total and grand total

61.54

41.38

38.46

25.86

100.00

67.24 73,91

09.77

26.09

03.45

100.00

13.22 67.65

13.22

32.35

06.32

100.00

19.54 ----

100.00

Source: Field Survey, 2008-09,

cent are found to be in a surplus financial position. However, 58 families of this group

enjoyed surplus economic position while additional income from other sources is also

The next group, i.e. the balance income group covers 19.33 per cent (29 families) to total

considered. Otherwise, their position has to gone to balance group or group involve in debt.

families under study. Out of 29, 10 and 19 families have been placed under this group as

surplus and deficit income respectively after addition of income from other sources like

services, agricultural activities, daily wage etc. The last group belongs to the group suffered

from debt representing 23 families i.e. 15.33 per cent. The above analysis shows that the

economic condition of families related to brass metal industry is somewhat bad in

comparison to family related to bell metal industry. Again, the balance and debt group

represents 32.76 and 34.66 per cent families respectively have thrived somehow. They have

174

monetary liabilities either to village money lenders, relatives or to institutional credit from

banks and co-operative society.

Table 4.25: Economic position of brass metal artisan families


The temporal change of financial position of the production units was also an area of

investigation of this work. Response from the units regarding their changing financial

positions is gathered based on their perception for last 10 years. Attempt has been made to

summarise the responses from bell and brass metal artisans to have a comparative picture

between these sectors (Table 4.26 and 4.27). It has seen that in both the cases, the trend of

changes is towards worse economic position. All together 43.90 per cent bell metal units and

41.82 per cent brass metal units stated the financial position has been gradually worsening.

However, 36.59 per cent of bell metal units rated the economic changes towards a better

Sl.

No

.

Nam

e o

f th

e p

lace

No. of families in each economic class

To

tal

No

. o

f fa

mil

ies

Families having surplus

income

Families having balance

income

Families involved in

debt

Inco

me

as b

rass

m

etal

arti

san

on

ly

Oth

er i

nco

me

add

ed

to b

rass

met

al a

rtis

ans

To

tal

Inco

me

surp

lus

w

ith

in

Rs.

20

00

In

com

e d

efic

it

wit

hin

Rs.

20

00 T

ota

l

Inco

me

as b

ell

m

etal

arti

san

on

ly

Oth

er i

nco

me

add

ed t

o

bel

l m

etal

art

isan

s

To

tal

1 Sarthebari Cl. 25 26 51 06 06 12 05 06 11 74

2 Hajo 12 13 25 02 13 15 01 09 10 50

3 Silchar 00 06 06 00 00 00 00 00 00 06

4 Guwahati 01 01 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 02

5 Mugkuchi 02 03 05 00 00 00 00 00 00 05

6 Barpeta Road 00 04 04 01 00 01 01 00 01 06

7 Western Ass. 00 05 05 01 00 01 01 00 01 07

Total 40 58 98 10 19 29 08 15 23 150

P.C. to individual

total and grand total

40.82

26.67

59.18

38.67

100.00

65.34 34.48

06.67

65.52

12.66

100.00

19.33 34.78

05.33

65.22

10.00

100.00

15.33 ----

100.00

175

state, while 19.51 per cent have perceived no change and remained in almost same position.

On the other hand, the 29.09 per cent production units of brass metal have rated the change

better position and 29.09 per cent of units viewed it as static. Bell metal production units

under study have better poison of change than that of brass metal production units.

Apart from these traditional production units, a machine made unit of brass metal

industry located at Ganeshpara locality of Guwahati cluster has studied. The cost benefit

analysis of the unit for the year 2007-08 has also studied to understand the advantages of

Table 4.26: Change of financial position of bell metal units in last 10 years

Sl. No. Name of the place Change of financial position of the units No. of unit

surveyed Better Worse Remained same

1 Sarthebari Cl. 13 15 08 36

2 Ganeshpara 02 00 00 02


Total 15 18 08 41

P.C. to total 36.59 43.90 19.51 100.00


Table 4.27: Change of financial position of brass metal units in last 10 years


Sl. No. Name of the place Change of financial position of the units No. of unit

surveyed Better Worse Remained same

1 Sarthebari Cluster 07 10 03 20

2 Hajo 05 11 06 22

3 Silchar 00 01 03 04

4 Guwahati 00 00 02 02

5 Mugkuchi 01 01 00 02

6 Barpeta Road 01 00 01 02


Total 16 23 16 55

P.C. to total 29.09 41.82 29.09 100.00

176

mechanised process of production (Table 4.28). It has been observed that the mechanized

unit owner able to engaged 22 workers to use polish machine for the smooth function of

polishing, cutting and grinding. At the same time, the unit receive annually an amount of

rupees 4, 06,900 as benefit, which is much higher than the benefit of a traditional unit.

Therefore, it is hoped that the smithy owner of bell and brass metal traditional production

units be realised the situation of changing economic status of their respective units, if able to

accept modernise system of production.

Table 4.28: Cost of production, marketing of products and benefit of brass metal

production unit involve in the mechanised process of production

Yea

r

Raw material status Energy status (coke) Other cost of production

Gra

nd

tota

l co

st

of

pro

du

ctio

n

Am

ou

nt

in k

g

Rat

e in

R

s /k

g

Co

st o

f R

M

Am

ou

nt

use

d

in k

g

Rat

e in

R

s/k

g.

Co

st o

f e

ner

gy

(co

ke)

Ele

ctri

city

Tra

nsp

ort

atio

n

Fo

od

ing

and

load

ing

Oth

ers

To

tal

20

07-

08

40

,000

300

1,2

0,0

0,0

00

6,0

00

16

96

,000

42

,000

3,6

0,0

00

2,4

0,0

00

60

,000

7,0

2,0

00

1,2

7,9

8,0

00


To understand the economy associated with bell and brass metal sector, along with

the units of production, it is necessary to highlight the different aspects of sale centres

involved in marketing of the outputs of the sector. A total of 15 sale centres has studied from

different parts of the state and only one of them is from neighbouring country Bhutan, which

is associated with business of bell metal products from Sarthebari cluster. The information

Marketing of products Total cost of

production

Net profit Salary paid Net profit of the

unit owner Products sale

in kg.

Rate /kg Total Sale in Rs.

38,800 410 1,59,08,000 1,27,98,000 14,62,900 10,56,000 4,06,900

177

collects from the field have been summarized to show the yearly situation based on average

of five year (Annexure-I to III) from 2003-2008 (Table 4.29 to 4.32). Benefit of sale centres

and benefit of sale centre owners has been counted after deduction of salary of the workers

engaged in those centres.

The sale centres of bell and brass metal products have possibilities to sale products

coming from different production units and also to sale the raw materials and energy for both

the bell and brass metal units. They may sale products from those production units, for which

centres supply raw materials. Among the sale centers under investigation 5 sale centers deal

with bell products and 8 brass products. There remain some sale centres that do not supply

raw materials either bell or brass metal to the production units and focus mainly on

marketing the finished products. There involves 6 such type of sale centres of bell and brass

metal products. The third group of sale centres use to sell machine made products, specially

coming from outside the state. Out of 15 units, two centres (Sl. No. 4 and 5) sale machine

made bell and brass metal products. The fourth and last group of sale

Table 4.29 (A): Cost, making and marketing of bell metal products (when sale centre supply

raw materials to production units)

No. Sale centre Cost of raw materials (RM) in Rs Raw materials supplied to units in kg. Balance of RM

to next year RM buys

in kg.

Rate

Rs/kg

Cost of

RM

Balance

RM

Total

RM

RM

supplied

1 ACBMUMSL,

Sarthebari

32079.274 327.090 10489923 1263.296 33342.570 32048.945 1293.625

2 Deka Metal Store,

Sarthebari

4395.000 333.45 1465500 307.000 4702.00 4435.000 267.000

5 Talukdar Metal

Stores, Tihu

3217.800 342.27 1101353 402.345 3620.145 3250.500 369.645

14 Karmakar Metal

House, Bilasipara

1936.600 323.94 627338 306.920 2243.520 1957.280 286.240

15 Mirdha Basanalaya,

Sapatgram

1956.800 328.04 641904 204.800 2161.600 1961.600 200.000

Total 43585.474 328.69 14326018 2484.361 46069.835 43653.325 2416.510


178

Table 4.29 (B): Making charge paid, marketing and balance of bell metal products to next year


Table 4.30 (A): Cost, making and marketing of brass metal products (when sale centre

supply raw materials to production units)

No

Production

in kg.

Making charge paid

in Rs

Previous

Year

Balance of

products

Total

products

Marketing of products Balance

products

for next

year Rate

Total Products

sale

Rate in

Rs

Total sale

in Rs.

1 31087.478 117.44 3650817 7930.492 39017-970 32752.464 512.58 16788245 6265.506

2 4301.950 134.87 580202 234.482 4536.432 4263.800 516.56 2202492 272.632

5 3191.785 124.32 391986 326.560 3518.345 3121.000 535.02 1669788 397.345

14 1839.842 108.13 198933 216.660 2056.502 1823.110 537.64 980071 233.392

15 1843.900 108.20 199501 184.512 2028.416 1842.246 544.44 1002984 186.416

Total: 42226.155 118.92 5021439 8892.706 51157.665 43802.374 517.05 22648146 7355.291

No. Sale centre Cost of raw materials (RM) in Rs. Raw materials supplied to units in kg. Balance

of RM to

next year RM buys

in kg.

Rate

Rs/kg

Cost of

RM

Balance

RM

Total RM RM

Supplied Sold

3 Deka Metal Store,

Kamarpara

6745.800 217.50 1467666 327.500 7073.300 3345.000 3452.8 275.500

6 Rajib Ali, Hajo 6411.460 215.47 1381508 186.300 6597.760 6396.150 --- 153.100

7 Maheswar pital sale

centre, Hajo

3672.200 213.97 785727 304.245 3976.445 3721.000 --- 255.445

8 Kartik Das, Hajo 3431.800 212.98 730909 167.250 3599.050 3381.800 --- 217.250

10 Bhakta Brinda

Basanalaya, Barpeta

Road

4198.600 222.97 936158 180.480 4379.080 4212.378 --- 147.702

11 Jintu Juri sale centre 8380.340 217.62 1823721 419.320 8799.660 8230.000 --- 569.660

14 Karmakar Metal

House,Bilasipara

1691.800 170.14 287838 235.560 1927.360 1676.800 --- 250.560

15 MirdhaBasanalaya

Spatgram

1898.200 172.56 327550 286.820 2185.020 1887.620 --- 297.400

Total 36430.2 212.49 7741077 2107.475 38537.675 32850.748 3452.8 2166.617

179

Table 4.30 (B): Making charge paid, marketing and balance of brass metal products to next year


Table 4.31: Purchase and marketing of indigenous traditional bell and brass metal products


Note: PP-product purchase, RP-rate of purchase, TC- total cost, BP-balance product , TP-total product

Sl. No

Production

in kg.

Making charge

paid in Rs

Balance

of

products

Total

products

Marketing of products Balance of

products

to next

year Rate

Total Products

sale

Rate

in Rs

Total sale

in Rs.

3 3242.800 61.14 198251 133.900 3376.700 3251.658 307.61 1000244 125.042

6 6232.760 56.28 350803 444.125 6676.885 6270.628 300.04 1944163 406.257

7 3609.370 55.78 198696 254.270 3863.770 3562.000 301.22 1072959 301.770

8 3280.500 55.85 183228 217.650 3498.150 3258.776 312.70 1019028 239.374

10 4086.007 61.34 250644 147.321 4233.328 4155.680 319.80 1328981 77.648

11 7983.100 61.08 487746 358.760 8341.760 8263.400 300.92 2486610 78.360

14 1576.200 76.40 120422 291.376 1867.572 1590.860 325.34 517569 276.712

15 1774.340 76.72 136141 208.660 1983.000 1761.852 327.94 577777 221.144

Total: 31785.077 60.71 1925931 2056.062 33841.165 32114.854 309.96 9947331 1726.307

Sl

No

Name of sale centre Products purchase in kilograms and cost of products in Rs.

Bell metal products purchase in Rs /kg. Brass metal products purchase in Rs. /kg size

PP RP TC BP TP PP RP TC BP TP

1 ACBMUMSL,

Sarthebari

--- --- --- --- --- 42706.21 292.06 12472993 7148.22 49854.43

2 Deka Metal Store,

Sarthebari

--- --- --- --- --- 1586.00 294.37 466872 148.25 1734.25

4 Toshi Lama,, Bhutan 195.1 606.15 118260 25.50 220.6 --- --- --- --- ---

5 Talukdar Metal Stores,

Tihu

--- ---- ---- ---- --- 1271.40 291.31 370372 412.35 1683.75

7 Maheswar Store, Hajo 890.4 488.94 435353 215.9 1106.3 --- --- --- --- ---

8 Das Metal House, Hajo 1924.8 510.61 982830 171.44 2096.3 ---- --- --- --- ----

9 BhuyanMetal House,

Jorhat

2794.8 503.88 1408232 264.00 3058.8 1437.80 275.04 395454 172.50 1610.30

10 Bhaktabrinda

Basanalaya, Barpeta

Road

2330.2 525.48 1224706 151.85 2482.1 ---- ---- ---- ---- -----

11 Jintu Juri Sale Centre

,Hajo

2005.8 511.29 1025533 190.46 2196.2 --- --- --- --- ---

12 Banik Metal House,

Silchar

---- ---- ----- ---- ---- 409.20 282.98 115796 134.34 543.54

13 Bhagya Lakshimi

Metal House, Silchar

---- ---- ---- --- --- 639.40 271.26 173442 190.45 829.85

Total 10141.1 512.26 5194914 1019.15 11160.3 48050.01 291.26 13994929 8206.11 56256.12

180

Table 4.32: Indigenous bell and brass metal products, their sale and balance


Table 4.33: Purchase and marketing of machine made bell and brass metal products


Sl No Bell metal products sale and balance Brass metal products sale and balance

Total

products

Product

Sale

Rate in

Rs/kg

Sale in

Rs

Balance

products

Total

products

Products

Sale

Rate in

Rs/kg

Sale in

Rs

Balance

products

1 ---- ---- ---- ----- ---- 49854.43 42401.683 316.18 13406900 7452.747

2 ---- 1734.25 1589.749 321.48 511080 144.501

4 220.6 192.739 1261.39 243120 27.861 --- ---- ---- ----- ----

5 --- ---- ---- ----- ---- 1683.75 1277.000 323.15 412665 406.750

7 1106.3 871.600 539.92 470593 234.700 --- --- --- --- ---

8 2096.3 1931.854 560.24 1082295 164.290 --- --- --- --- ---

9 3058.8 2807.000 568.77 1596550 251.800 1610.30 1441.200 319.31 460188 169.100

10 2482.1 2354.538 570.46 1343168 127.514 --- ---- --- ---- ----

11 2196.2 2022.480 561.52 1135672 173.740 --- --- --- --- ---

12 --- ---- ---- ---- ---- 543.54 396.600 312.33 123870 146.940

13 --- ---- ---- ----- ---- 829.85 634.200 301.60 191275 195.650

Total 11160.3 10180.211 576.75 5871398 979.905 56256.12 47740.432 316.42 15105978 8515.688

Sl

No.

Name of Sale centre Products purchase in kilograms and cost of products in Rs.

Bell metal products purchase in Rs. /kg. Brass metal products purchase in Rs. /kg size

PP RP TC BP TP PP RP TC BP TP

05 Talukdar Metal Stores, Tihu ---- --- --- --- --- 0336.6 200.72 67561 065.5 0402.1

12 Banik Metal House, Silchar 840.0 407.21 342060 137.1 977.1 2144.6 176.77 379104 098.3 2242.9

13 Bhagya Lakshimi Metal

House, Silchar 864.6 406.46 351428 122.3 986.9 1950.4 179.52 350132 268.2 2218.6

14 Karmaker Metal

House,Bilasipara 266.8 364.16 97159 078.5 345.3 0292.0 226.77 66218 145.4 437.4

15 Mirdha Basanalaya

Sapatgram 267.4 368.59 98560 087.7 355.1 0286.4 226.50 64869 124.3 410.7

Total 2238.8 397.18 889207 425.6 2664.4 5010.0 185.21 927884 701.7 5711.7

181

Table 4.34: Machine made bell and brass metal products sale and balance


Table 4.35: Purchase and marketing of raw materials and energy


Note: CC- Charcoal, C-Coke, BR. M- Brass Metal, PRM/ER-purchase of raw material in kg or energy in bag,

PR- purchase rate in Rs. /kg or bag, TC- total cost of raw materials or energy, BRM/BE- balance of raw

materials or energy, TRM/TE- total raw materials or energy, RMS/ES- raw materials or energy sale in Rs.,

SR- sale rate of raw materials or energy, TS- total sale in Rs.

Sl.

No.

Bell metal products sale and balance Brass metal products sale and balance

Total

products

Product

Sale

Rate in

Rs/kg

Sale in

Rs

Balance

products

Total

products

Products

Sale

Rate in

Rs/kg

Sale

in Rs

Balance

products

05 --- --- --- --- --- 0402.1 0328.4 272.75 089570 073.7

12 977.1 833.4 468.32 390301 143.7 2242.9 2134.2 222.23 474274 108.7

13 986.9 862.8 468.20 403961 124.1 2218.6 1945.0 225.81 439210 273.6

14 345.3 262.6 422.10 110844 082.7 0437.4 0286.4 256.31 073408 151.0

15 355.1 270.8 427.73 115830 084.3 0410.7 0274.8 278.46 076520 135.9

Total 2664.4 2229.6 457.90 1020936 434.8 5711.7 4968.8 232.04 1152982 742.9

Sl

No

Name of the

sale centre

Name of

item

Product and energy buy in Rs. /kg./bag Product and energy sale and balance

PRM

/EP

PR in

Rs.

TC in

Rs.

BRM

/BE

TRM

/TE

RMS

/ES

SR in

Rs.

TS in Rs. BRM

/BE

1

ACBMUMSL,

Sarthebari

CC in

bag

6402 104.24 667357 182.4 6584.4 6375.6 117.08 746394 200.8

3 Deka metal store,

Kamarpara

C in bag 751.2 093.44 70191 025.5 0776.7 750.0 159.58 119683 26.7

BR. M

in kg

3452.8 217.59 751295 --- --- 3402.8 236.11 803421 ---

Total 1488843 1669498

182

Table 4.36 (A): Cost benefit analysis of sale centres of bell and brass metal products

Table 4.36 (B): Cost benefit analysis of sale centres of bell and brass metal products

Sl.

No.

Name of the sale centre Bell metal products sell in Rs. Brass metal products sell in Rs.

Products

return from

garhsal

Local

products

sell

Machine

made

products

sell

Total

products

sale in Rs.

Products

return

from

garhsal

Local

products

sell

Machine

made

products

sell

Total

products

sale in Rs.

1 ACBMUMSL, Sarthebari 16788245 --- --- 16788245 --- 13406900 --- 13406900

2 Deka Metal Store, Sarthebari 2202492 --- --- 2202492 --- 511080 --- 511080

3 Deka Metal store, Kamarpara --- --- --- --- 1000244 --- --- 1000244

4 Toshi Lama, Bhutan --- 243120 --- 243120 --- --- --- ---

5 Talukdar Metal House, Tihu 1669788 --- --- 1669788 --- 412665 89570 502235

6 Rajib Ali, Hajo --- --- --- --- 1944163 --- --- 1944163

7 Maheswar Store, Hajo --- 470593 --- 470593 1072959 --- --- 1072959

8 Das Store, Hajo --- 1082295 --- 1082295 1019028 --- --- 1019028

9 Bhuyan Metal House, Jorhat --- 1596550 ---- 1596550 --- 460188 --- 460188

10 Bhakatabrinda Basanalaya,B.Rd --- 1343168 --- 1343168 1328981 --- --- 1328981

11 Jintu Juri Store, Hajo --- 1135672 --- 1135672 2486610 --- --- 2486610

12 Banik Metal Store, Silchar --- --- 390301 390301 --- 123870 474274 598144

13 Bhagya Laxmi Metal Store,

Silchar

--- --- 403961 403961 --- 191275 439210 630485

14 Karmakar Metal Store,

Bilasipara

980071 --- 110844 1090915 517569 --- 73408 590977

15 Mirdha Basanalaya,

Sapatgram

1002984 --- 115830 1118814 577777 --- 76520 654297

Total 22643580 5871398 1020936 29535914 9947331 15105978 1152982 26206291

Sl.

No.

Raw materials and energy sold Grand

Total

Sale*

Cost of bell metal products Cost of brass metal products

RM

sold

C

sold

CC

sold Total

sale

RM

cost

Making

charge Total

cost

RM

cost

Making

charge Total

cost 1 --- --- 746394 746394 30941539 10489923 3650913 14140836 --- --- --- 2 --- --- --- --- 2713572 1465500 580202 2045702 --- --- ---

3 803421 119683 --- 923104 1923348 --- --- --- 1467666 198251 1665917

4 --- --- --- --- 243120 --- --- --- --- --- ---

5 --- --- --- --- 2172023 1101353 391986 1493339 --- --- ---

6 --- --- --- --- 1944163 --- --- --- 1381508 350803 1732311

7 --- --- --- --- 1543552 --- --- --- 785727 198696 984423

8 --- --- --- --- 2101323 --- --- --- 730909 183228 914137

9 --- --- --- --- 2056738 --- --- --- --- --- ---

10 --- --- --- --- 2672149 --- --- --- 936158 250644 1186802

11 --- --- --- --- 3622282 --- --- --- 1823721 487746 2311467

12 --- --- --- --- 988445 --- --- --- --- --- ---

13 --- --- --- --- 1034446 ---- -- --- --- --- ---

14 --- --- --- --- 1681892 627338 198931 826269 287838 120422 408260

15 --- --- --- --- 1773051 641904 199501 841405 327550 136141 463691

Total 803421 119683 746394 1669498 57411643 14326018 5021533 19347551 7741077 1925931 9667008

183

Table 4.36 (C): Cost benefit analysis of sale centres of bell and brass metal products

Source: Field Survey, 2008-09 * includes the income coming from selling of bell and brass metal products only

centres are selling either raw materials or energy (charcoal or coke) along with finish

products. Single sale centre under study involves in selling brass metal directly to sell centres

and two sale centres are involved in the process of energy sale to the production units. The

above tables provide the nature of production along with cost and benefit involved in the

process.

The information indicate the different aspects of cost and benefit involved in sale

centres which are engaged in marketing the bell and brass metal products, raw materials and

energy. For having an understanding, the parameters of five years average situation for cost

and sale precede is considered. Total sale of each unit includes the total sale from products

returned after deduction of mulmorah (30 grams/kilogram raw materials supplied and it is 60

Sl. No Cost of indigenous

products purchase

Cost of machine made

products buy

Cost of energy

purchase

Other

cost

Grand total

cost in Rs.

Benefits

to sale

centre

Salary to

workers

Benefit to

sale centre

owner Bell metal Brass

metal

Bell metal Brass

metal

Coke charcoal

1 --- 12472993 --- --- --- 667357 538248 27819434 3122105 1528588 1593517

2 --- 466872 --- --- --- --- 30360 2542934 170638 66900 103738

3 --- --- --- --- 70191 --- 28300 1764408 158940 23760 135180

4 118260 --- --- --- --- --- 18100 136360 106760 20480 86280

5 --- 370372 --- 67561 --- --- 48340 1979612 192411 --- 192411

6 --- --- --- --- --- --- 48500 1780811 163352 --- 163352

7 435353 --- --- --- --- --- 19020 1438796 104756 --- 104756

8 982830 --- --- --- --- --- 89490 1926457 174866 --- 174866

9

1408232 395454

---

--- --- --- --- 63340 1867026 189712 24240 165472

10 1224706 --- --- --- --- 32000 2443508 228641 29800 198841

11 1025533 --- --- --- --- --- 25000 3362000 260282 41400 218882

12 --- 115796 342060 379104 --- --- 16300 853260 135185 --- 135185

13 --- 173442 351428 350132 --- --- 17440 892442 142004 21000 121004

14 --- --- 97159 66218 --- ---- 29740 1427646 254246 --- 254246

15 --- --- 98560 64869 --- --- 49540 1516065 256986 --- 256986

Total 5194914 13994929 889207 927884 70191 667357 1053718 51750759 5660884 1756168 3904716

184

grams/ kilogram in the western Assam cluster) and sale of raw materials and energy. In this

analysis, the other incomes received by the sale centres are not considered. The grand total

cost of sale centre includes the cost of raw materials, making charge paid to production units,

cost of indigenous and machine made products purchase, purchase of energy and other costs

of sale centre (includes the cost of house rent, fooding, electricity bill paid, transportation

cost etc.). To have the nature of benefit of each units, total cost have deducted from the total

sale of respective sale centres. Again the amount of salary paid to workers have also

deducted from this benefit of each sale centre to understand the benefit of sale centre owner.

In this way the computation of cost-benefit task has been accomplished.

The cost-benefit analysis of sale centres of bell and brass metal products reveal some

important aspects relating to its trade. Firstly, the sale centre engaged in this business needs

huge amount of money. For example, ACBMUMSL under Sarthebari cluster needs at an

average amount of rupees 2.78 crores annually. Among the individual sale centres, one sale

centre from Hajo cluster (Sl. No. 11) needs an annual involvement of rupees 33.6 lakh which

is found to be highest among the sale centres of private ownership. The total cost incurred by

the sale centre of Bhutan under study was found to be rupees 1.36 lakh which is lowest of all

sale centres studied as marketability of bell metal products seems to be limited there.

Secondly, the risk factor associated with abrupt change of raw materials, energy and

product’s price is another important aspect. The price of these articles changes from time to

time within the year and the sale centres have to bear the risk of their business for such

sudden changes. Thirdly, the benefit received by the sale centre owner is more than that of

smithy owner though the later comparatively have to render more labour. For example, the

185

individual sale centre owner from Western Assam Cluster (Sapatgram) able to receive an

average annual amount of rupees 2.56 lakh which is highest among the centres studied. As

against this, an individual smithy owner from Sarthebari Cluster has able to earn highest

average annual benefit of rupees 86,387. Apart from it, sales centre owner able to receive

more benefit from machine made products. They viewed that the machine made products are

easy to sale for their lower price and decorative look. Sale centres can be classified into

different groups depending upon its net benefit they earned annually (Table 4.37). Maximum

concentration of sale centres (66.66 per cent) happens to fall in the middle income group, i.e.

earning between 1 to 2 lakh annually. Only one sale centre (6.67 per cent) earns less than one

lac that surveyed centre belongs to our neighbouring country Bhutan. At the same time, 4

sale centres are (26.67 per cent) able to earn more than 2 lakh annually.

Table 4.37: Classification of sale centres of bell and brass metal products based on 5 years

average income


4.5. BUYERS’ VIEW ON BELL AND BRASS METAL PRODUCTS

Contemporary market and marketing strategy is basically governed by buyers test

and wants. So an attempt has been made to understand the perception of buyers towards bell

and brass metal products available in the market. Through the buyers survey, it is found that

their choice of articles depend upon variety of factors. Generally customers prefer less costly

utensils made of bell and brass metals. A total of 58 customers from 35 localities in 12

districts of the state have been covered in the study. Firstly, an attempt has been made to

Sl No. Income in Rs. No. of sale centre Percentage to total

1 ‹ 1,00,000 01 06.67

2 1,00,000-1,50,000 05 33.33

3 1,50,000-2,00,000 05 33.33

4 › 2,00,000 04 26.67

Total 15 100.00

186

understand the reason behind buying such products. Among all the reasons, some are

important to them. The reasons scoring more than fifty per cent are considered as significant

(Table 4.38). Therefore, durability, quality, beauty of products and their cultural

Table 4.38: Showing the reason behind buying bell and brass metal products

Sl

No.

Districts

name

No. of

locality

Sample

taken

Reason of buying bell and brass metal products

D Q BE CA HH LIP HHU PIS PO DU PC

1 Barpeta 09 16 12 08 08 09 12 02 16 02 03 00 00

2 Nalbari 08 15 13 08 12 07 09 01 13 02 05 02 01

3 Kamrup 04 11 09 07 09 09 07 00 09 01 04 02 01

4 Marigaon 04 03 02 02 02 03 03 00 04 00 01 01 01

5 Golaghat 02 02 02 01 02 02 02 01 02 00 02 00 00

6 Jorhat 02 02 02 01 00 02 01 01 02 00 01 00 00

7 Sibsagar 01 02 02 01 02 01 02 01 01 00 00 00 00

8 Darrang 01 01 01 00 01 01 01 00 01 00 00 00 00

9 Sonitpur 01 01 01 00 00 01 01 00 01 00 01 01 00

10 Cachar 01 02 01 01 02 02 01 00 01 00 00 00 00

11 Kokrajhar 01 02 01 02 02 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00

12 Dhubri 01 01 01 01 01 00 00 00 00 00 01 01 00

Total 35 58 47 32 41 37 39 06 52 05 18 07 03

P. C. to total 81.03 55.17 70.69 63.79 67.24 10.34 89.65 08.62 31.03 12.07 05.17

Source: Field Survey, 2008-09. D-Durability, Q-Quality, BE-Beauty, CA-Cultural Association, HH-Health and

Hygiene, LIP-Love to Indigenous Products, HHU-House Hold Use, PIS-Price Increase of Scraps, PO-Prizes to

Others, DU-Decorative Uses, PC-Purchases on Compulsion

association, health and hygienic issues and house hold usability are found to be the

significant considerations in buying bell and brass metal products. Off the total eleven such

reasons, house hold use of the products gets more important place with a score of 89.65 per

cent followed by durability, beauty of products and health and hygienic cause with scores of

81.03, 70.69 and 67.24 per cents respectively. The other two reasons get less importance in

comparison to former four. For example, only 67.24 per cent buyers buy these products for

health and hygienic causes which indicates that the two third of customers are aware of the

health and hygienic aspect of bell and brass metal products. Thus, buyers are more concern

about house hold use, durability, beauty and health and hygienic aspects of the products.

187

Other reasons such as love to indigenous products, price increase of scraps, offer prizes to

others, decorative uses and purchase on compulsion are not very effective reasons in the

process of purchasing. Though, the love for indigenous products may be a strong reason

behind buying bell and brass metal products, but response for such factor is only 10.34 per

cent. It may be the result of rapid price hike of products that limits the buying process of

average potential customers.

Customers concern and the choice of different items of bell and brass metal products

is another area of investigation (Table 4.39). Accordingly, the customers have chosen seven

bell and brass metal items that are preferred by more than 50 per cent of them. Kahi, bati,

bota, chariya, sarai, lota and kalah have able to score of the choice from 100 to 60 per cent

of buyers as these are regarded as the common household items used in Assamese family.

Table 4.39: Items of bell and brass metal products as uses by the customers

Sl.

No.

of

dis

tric

ts

Sam

ple

no.

Name of the items used by the customers

kah

i

bat

i

bo

ta

char

iya

kh

arah

i

sara

i

tray

lota

kal

ah

pla

te

spo

on

dec

. it

ems

cym

bal

gla

ss

het

a

du

nar

i

thal

i

ash

an

gh

anta

ban

bat

i

dh

up

dan

i

ph

uld

ani

gas

a

chak

i

1 16 16 16 13 13 07 10 04 08 07 00 04 07 03 00 04 04 02 00 00 08 01 01 01 02

2 15 15 15 15 14 04 12 04 12 07 01 02 05 01 02 02 03 01 00 01 04 04 01 01 00

3 11 11 11 11 09 03 11 03 07 08 02 06 04 01 03 04 00 00 00 00 03 00 03 01 01

4 03 03 03 03 03 01 03 03 02 03 01 01 02 00 00 01 01 00 00 00 02 02 00 01 00

5 02 02 02 02 01 01 02 02 02 02 00 02 02 01 01 02 00 00 01 02 02 02 00 00 00

6 02 02 02 02 02 02 02 01 02 02 00 00 01 00 01 00 02 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00

7 02 02 02 02 01 00 02 01 02 02 00 00 01 00 01 01 02 01 01 00 01 00 00 01 00

8 01 01 01 01 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 01 00 00 01 00 01 00 00 01 00 00

9 01 01 01 01 01 00 01 00 01 01 01 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 01 00 01 00

10 02 02 02 02 02 01 01 01 00 01 01 01 02 01 00 00 01 00 00 01 01 00 00 00 01

11 02 02 02 02 02 01 00 02 01 01 00 00 01 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 01

12 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 01 00 01 00 00

Total 58 58 58 55 49 21 46 22 38 35 06 16 26 08 09 15 14 05 04 06 23 10 07 06 05

p.c. to total

10

0.0

0

10

0-0

0

94

.83

84

..4

8

36

.21

79

.31

37

.93

65

.52

60

.3 4

10

.3 4

27

.59

44

.83

13

.79

15

.52

25

.86

24

..1

4

07

.61

06

.90

10

.34

39

.65

17

.24

12

.07

10

.34

07

.61


188

The sources from which the customers used to buy products are different from place

to place (Table 4.40). All the market places of the state are linked with sales network of bell

and brass metal products. Generally sale centres of such products are located at towns and

cities. Therefore, the customers from remote areas face problems in purchasing such

products. Areas, where production and sale centres are absent, people use to buy the products

either from local traders or occasionally from hawkers. Peoples generally have trust on bell

and brass metal products of co-operative society and its branches, but the number of branches

is too few to meet the requirement of customers. The co-operative society (ACBMUMSL)

has able to score only 50 per cent in respect of product purchase pattern. Possibilities remain

to increase the branches of the society in different parts of the state. Local traders have

identified as the main source of purchase with 89.65 per cent customers’ response, followed

by the hawkers with a score of 65.52 per cent. Other sources such as mahajan, trade fair or

exhibition, sobha mahotsav and products directly procure from garhsal have gained less

importance as source of purchase. Sobha mahotsav is a common feature in lower part of

Assam where traders from production units participate to sell their products. In this

connection mention may be made about the sobha mahotsav of Sarthebari, Makhibaha and

Haribhanga in the western Assam that are celebrating from time immemorial during the

period of January to March in every year.

Apart from this, the customers close to production centres have taken chance to buy

products directly from garhsal. Mahajan have direct relation with the retail sellers. They are

supplying products to retail sellers within our states and some of them have business relation

with the local traders of out side states and aboard. Trade fair or exhibition is another avenue

189

for customers to purchase bell and brass metal products and sometimes such fairs are

organized in collaboration of government departments

Table 4.40: Source of product purchase

Sl. No. Sample

taken

Sources of products purchase

Mahajan Co-op.

society

Local

Traders

Hawkers Garhsal Trade fair

/exhibition

Sobha

Mahotsav

1 16 03 13 13 06 06 00 02

2 15 01 09 13 13 02 01 11

3 11 02 02 11 07 03 03 01

4 03 00 00 03 02 00 02 03

5 02 00 02 02 02 01 00 00

6 02 01 01 01 01 00 00 00

7 02 00 01 02 02 00 00 00

8 01 00 00 01 01 00 00 00

9 01 00 01 01 01 00 00 00

10 02 00 00 02 02 00 00 00

11 02 00 00 02 01 01 00 00

12 01 00 00 01 00 01 00 00

Total 58 7 29 52 38 14 6 17

P. C. to total 12.07 50.00 89.65 65.52 24.14 10.34 29.31

Source: Field Survey, 2008-09.

Though not all, some of the buyers use to sale bell and brass metal scraps to different

sources. Among them, there remain few customers who exchange new products to scraps

after paying additional amount. Some of the customers have multiple choices of the sources

for the scraps sold available to them (Table 4.41). The information gathered in this regard

indicates that people have trust to traders who believe to pay the right price for the scraps.

Hawkers, the next important source (63.79 per cent) who collects scraps from house hold

especially from the rural areas. Only a handful of customers have close contact with garhsal

(work shop of bell and brass metal industries). So, only 06.90 per cent customers sold or

exchange their scraps to garhsal. Fair and exhibition get very little importance in this

connection.

190

Table 4.41: Sources to which scraps sold by the customers

Sl. No. No. of sample

taken

Sources of scraps sold

Traders Hawkers Garhsal Fair /exhibition

1 16 16 06 01 00

2 15 06 13 00 01

3 11 07 07 00 00

4 03 03 02 00 00

5 02 02 02 00 00

6 02 01 01 00 00

7 02 01 01 00 00

8 01 00 01 00 00

9 01 01 01 00 00

10 02 01 02 01 00

11 02 02 00 01 00

12 01 01 01 01 00

Total 58 41 37 04 01

P.C. to total 90.67 63.79 06.90 01.72


Attempt has also been made to understand the preference of customers towards

indigenous or machine made bell and brass metal products in the process of purchase (Table

4.42). Durability of indigenous products than machine made is more as conceived by the

51.72 per cent customers. So, they prefer indigenous products. In respect of quality of

products, again 75.86 per cent customer’s choice goes to indigenous one. But, while

considered the beauty and price of the products, choice goes towards machine made one. At

least 89.66 and 86.21 per cent believes as the machine made products are more beautiful and

price is comparatively lower than that of indigenous products. Weight of products not seems

to be considered as significant indicator in buying process of the customers. In reality most of

the buyers are much concern about this aspect of the indigenous products. Other two

indicators get negligible response from the customers. But, aesthetic value of products should

score higher response from the customers.

191

Table 4.42: Difference between indigenous and machine made products as perceived by

the buyers

Sl. No. Sample

taken

Aspects of difference for indigenous and machine products

D Q B P W AV U

1 16 08 12 13 11 05 02 05

2 15 07 13 13 14 05 02 00

3 11 07 08 11 10 04 01 03

4 03 02 03 03 02 02 00 00

5 02 01 00 02 02 02 01 00

6 02 01 02 02 02 00 00 00

7 02 00 02 02 02 00 00 00

8 01 00 01 00 01 00 00 00

9 01 00 01 01 01 00 01 00

10 02 02 00 02 02 00 01 00

11 02 02 01 02 02 01 00 00

12 01 00 01 01 01 01 00 00

Total 58 30 44 52 50 20 08 08

P.C. to total 51.72 75.86 89.66 86.21 34.48 13.79 13.79

Source: Field Survey, 2008-09 Note: D-Durability, Q-Quality, B-Beauty, P-Price, W-Weight, AV-Aesthetic Value, U-Utility, Pu- Purity of products.

Table 4.43: Problems of traditional bell and brass metal industries as seen by buyers

Source Field Survey, 2008-09

Sl.

No

. o

f p

lace

s of

surv

ey

Sam

ple

tak

en

Problems initiated by the customers

Insu

ffic

ien

t R

aw

Mat

eria

ls

Insu

ffic

ien

t

En

erg

y

Sh

ort

age

of

Fin

ance

Ed

uca

ted

You

ths

are

no

t in

tere

sted

Wei

gh

t o

f p

rod

uct

s

Lo

w i

nco

me

of

wo

rker

s

Ind

ust

ry i

s

loca

lise

d

Lac

k o

f p

rop

er

trai

nin

g

Lac

k o

f m

od

ern

imp

lem

ent

Lim

ited

mar

ket

ing

sco

pe

Wo

rker

s ar

e

ign

ora

nt

Lac

k o

f ad

ver

tisi

ng

faci

liti

es

Ab

rup

t pri

ce

chan

ge

Hig

h p

rice

of

pro

du

cts

Wea

k i

nst

itu

tio

nal

role

1 16 14 12 10 13 04 15 02 05 09 02 14 02 13 11 07

2 15 12 06 07 08 02 11 04 05 08 06 13 03 12 10 08

3 11 08 09 08 09 03 09 03 04 06 03 09 01 08 09 05

4 03 01 01 01 00 01 01 02 01 00 02 00 00 02 03 02

5 02 00 00 01 00 00 01 02 01 01 00 00 00 02 02 01

6 02 01 01 00 01 00 01 01 00 00 01 01 01 02 02 01

7 02 02 01 01 00 01 00 02 01 01 00 00 00 01 02 01

8 01 00 00 01 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 01 01 00

9 01 00 00 01 00 00 00 01 00 01 00 00 00 01 01 01

10 02 01 00 01 00 01 01 00 02 01 00 01 00 02 02 02

11 02 02 02 00 01 00 02 01 00 01 01 02 00 01 01 02

12 01 01 01 00 01 01 01 00 01 01 00 01 00 01 01 01

Total 58 42 33 31 33 13 42 19 20 29 15 41 07 46 45 31

P. C. to total 72.41 56.90 53.45 56.90 22.41 72.41 32.76 34.48 50.00 25.86 70.69 12.07 79.31 77.59 53.45

192

Buyers have also opined about 15 salient problems of traditional bell and brass metal

industries (Table 4.43). Among them, insufficient supply of raw materials and energy,

shortage of finance, reluctance of educated youth towards the indigenous industry, income of

workers, lack of modern implements used in the industries, ignorance of workers, frequent

change of price of both the raw materials, energy and products, high price of products and

weak role played by the institutions related to the industries are the main problems.

Insufficient supply of raw materials, energy and finance are the key problems of bell

and brass metal industries and these three problems get response from 72.41, 56.90 and 53.45

per cent of the respondents respectively. 56.90 per cent customers viewed the reluctant

attitude of educated youths in the bell and brass metal producing locality a problem for the

growth and development of the industries as a result of which modification or modernisation

process is not yet initiated in this sector.

Indigenous products are generally heavy in weight and these products are difficult to

export to a distant place. Though this aspect gets less importance (22.41%) by the

respondent, but it affects the process of marketing, especially outside the state.

Income of workers depends upon many factors. Generally, the workers of bell and

brass metal industries receive their income or benefit in any one system such as share, salary,

wage and remuneration against per kilogram finished products. Income of bell and brass

metal units as well as workers is the result of low making charge, high price of raw materials

and energy and increasing price of commodities in the market. Here, limited income of

workers is identified as an important problem by 72.41 per cent of the respondents. Highly

localization continues to be a major problem associated with bell and brass metal industries.

193

As these are located in some pockets and hence get less interest to the large section of the

society. Most of the respondents have little idea about it and therefore only 32.76 per cent

responded towards such issue.

Workers have learned the art of making bell and brass metal articles from their

predecessors. Therefore, they are producing articles as did by their earlier generation. But, to

cope with the changing market environment one should try to satisfy the customers of new

generation with changing taste and choice. To do so, workers should learn the art of making

articles in the modernised ways. Altogether 34.48 per cent of respondents have observed and

commented that the workers still use lowest level of technology. This is because of their

lower level of literacy and resulting poor access to new innovation in the sector. Apart from

it, the workers of the bell and brass metal industries are financially weak. Hence they can not

buy the modern implement to produce articles. Around 50 per cent buyers’ have indicated it

as a major problem associated with the industries concern.

Profit and question of existence of any production system is mostly depends upon the

marketing of raw materials, energy and products. Bell and brass metal industries are not

exception to this general trend. Products are generally marketed within the state and only a

very little amount of it supplied to neighbouring states like Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim,

Manipur, Nagaland, West Bengal and neighbouring countries like Nepal and Bhutan. The

problem of marketing the products will more acute, if the workers produces more with the

introduction of modernise method of production. As the customers have little idea about the

problem of marketing and hence only 25.86 per cent buyers identified it as a problem to the

industries concern.

194

At this stage of liberalised market environment, quality, beauty and price of products

should be attractive to the customers. Otherwise, it will fail to attract the customers and get

extinct. To do so, the producer should have maintain a minimum quality standard while

producing various types of articles. But, the bell and brass metal artisans of Assam have little

knowledge about out side world. More than two third respondents i.e. 70.67 per cent

highlighted to this problem.

Attractive advertisement is one of the requisite steps for the survival of a production

and sales system. But, the bell and brass metal industry still lakes in such initiatives.

Therefore, the indigenous bell and brass metal industries get little exposure to expand in a

strategic initiative. But, only 12.07 per cent buyers have mentioned it as a problem to these

industries.

Abrupt price change of raw materials, energy and products is a serious problem to bell

and brass metal industries as viewed by 79.31 per cent respondent. This problem has direct

affect on the benefit of workers and sellers, specially the unit owners and sales unit owners,

who buy raw materials directly from their own source. High price of products is also a

serious problem to the industries as viewed by 77.59 per cent respondent. For high price of

products, peoples of lower income groups are in search of low quality and price articles.

Accordingly, they prefer low priced aluminium, steel, plastic products to supplement

comparatively high priced bell and brass metal products. Some of them purchases low quality

and priced machine made products on compulsion. Last but not least, the role played by the

institutions is very weak. Some times, the innocent and illiterate kanhars get deprived from

their right. This problem is highlighted by 53.45 per cent respondent of the survey.

195

4.6. PROBLEMS OF MARKETING

The word marketing is not only indicates the sale of products. Rather the task of

marketing includes the right choice of products to satisfy the customers. For the selection of

right products, seller must consider the function, price, quality, design and durability aspects

of the products. The choice of customer never remains static. With the change of economic

condition, taste, habit, fashion etc. of customers, seller must have a philosophical mind to

understand the behaviour of market.

Marketing is an important aspect of any production system. The state has a long

history of trade relation with rest of our country and neighbouring countries of the world.

There was business relation of Assam with Bengal (Calcutta), Madras (now Chennai), Agra,

and Oudh Rajputana through rail and river ways. From the notes of Francis Hamilton (1808),

we can able to know that copper were imported to Assam from Bengal and a part of finished

product exported to Bengal. Business transaction from Assam with Bengal through Kandahar

Chaki (Hadira Chaki) had performed. In 1809 A. D., among all exported materials from

Assam, there were bell metal products which able to earn worth rupees 1500 (Hamilton,

1963). However, the industry could not remarkably develop for financial hurdle. Hamilton

wrote, “They finished the metal but none of them have a capital of more than hundred rupees.

They are reckoned by the Bengalese very skilful in working in bell metal, so that some is sent

to Bengal, although all the copper come through the country (Hamilton, 1963)”. In 1904-05,

Assam had imported brass metal and copper from Bengal, Madras, Agra and Oudh and

exported finished products through rail and river ways (Table 4.44).

196

Table 4.44: Marketing of brass metal products through rail and river ways in 1905

Source: Directorate of Archive, Assam, Dispur, Guwahati-06 Note: (Q-quantity in mounds. V-value in rupees)

Though, there were business relations of Assam with some distance places of our

country from time immemorial, the state able to perform a deficit business relation. In olden

times, the state also had business relation with neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Nepal,

Tibet, Bangladesh and the neighbouring states Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Lussai Hills

(now Mizoram) etc. Mention may be made here about the trade relation of Assam with

Bhutan proper confined to the districts of Goalpara, Kamrup and Darrang. The routes by

which peoples of Bhutan descended are the Bijni, Sidli Ripu and Guma Duars leading into

Goalpara and Subankhata (now in Baksa district). While Darranga and Lussai passes leaded

to Kamrup and Darrang district respectively. The trade with the Tibetans and Bhutias had

carried out at Udalguri and Daimara fairs on the border of the district Darrang. There were

trade relations of Assam with Manipur, Lussai Hills and Hill Tipperah and neighbouring

district of Sylhet (now under Bangladesh). On those days, the main items of exports from the

state includes cotton, gram, pulse, rice, brass metal products, copper, iron, oils, opium, dry

fish, salt, silk (raw and manufactured), betel-nuts, tobacco, sugar and coconuts. At the same

time the state imports mainly horses, ponies, mules, cattle, sheep, goats, blankets,

cooutchoue, madder (a plant whose roots yield a red dye), lac, salt, spices, wax, musk, rape,

Name of the

place

Import of brass metal Export of finished products

By rail By river Total By rail By river Total

Q V Q V Q V Q V Q V Q V

Bengal 2229 104065 12652 548271 14881 652336 242 10720 3830 183340 4072 194060

Agra and Oudh 21 804 42 1599 63 2403 10 500 02 100 12 600

Central India

and Rajputana

---- ------- ------ ------ ------- ------ ----- ------- 01 150 01 150

Total 2250 104869 12694 549870 14944 654739 252 11220 3833 183590 4085 194810

197

mustard, tea seed, mate and fire wood. The recorded information of total imports-exports

including brass and copper to various places for the consecutive three years from 1893-94 to

1895-96 as follows (Table 4.45).

Table 4.45: Trade relation of Assam with neighbouring states and countries

Source: Directorate of Archive, Assam, Dispur, Guwahati-06, Report on the trade between Assam and

adjoining foreign countries for three years ending on 31st March 1996 pp. 4, 5, 7, 8 and 11

The increasing price of raw materials has adversely affected these industries in

general and artisans in particular. The people of lower income group are not able to buy these

products. Rather, they prefer the colourful low price plastic, aluminium, stainless steel

products available in the market. The increase of price of energy and decreasing size of the

bags of energy (charcoal and coke) attributed to downsizing the income of the artisans.

Compensate to this decreasing tendency of income, the artisans though not as

Table 4.46: Price of raw materials, charcoal and coke


Name of the

place

Total imports in Rs. Total exports in Rs. Export of brass and copper

1893-94 1894-95 1895-96 1893-94 1894-95 1895-96 1893-94 1894-95 1895-96

Bhutan

proper 97,890 63,972 1,55,653 54,732 63,443 1,37,889 5,334 12,895 18,325

Tawang 34,506 31,135 35,991 21,943 8,760 46,845 799 2,035 357

Manipur 22,040 3,714 36,301 46,251 83,415 54,851 2,229 1,357 450

Lussai Hills 22,215 31,183 18,549 62,951 29,194 1,33,244 24,449 5,815 2,466

Bangladesh

(Tipperah) 461,537 3,41,977 3,61,919 1,04,513 92,723 1,63,814 15,360 7,324 20,974

Total 638,188 4,71,981 6,08,413 290,390 2,77,535 5,36,643 48,171 29,426 42,572

P.C. of brass and copper to its total 16.59% 10.60% 07.93%

Sl.

No

Year *Price of raw materials and energy in Rs./ kg

and bag

Percentage of price increase

BM BRM CC C BM BRM CC C

1 2003-04 215 150 90 80 --- --- --- ---

2 2004-05 249 190 110 85 15.81 26.67 22.22 06.25

3 2005-06 300 250 120 90 20.48 31.58 09.09 05.88

4 2006-07 390 290 135 100 30.00 16.00 12.50 11.11

5 2007-08 510 305 135 110 30.77 05.17 00.00 10.00

198

*Includes carrying charge. (R. M.-Raw Materials, C.C.-Charcoal, C-Coke, BM-Bell Metal, BRM-Brass Metal)

willing, but fight for increase of making charge for their products. Again, the increase of

making charges of products automatically leads to price hike of the products, which stood

obstacle in easy marketing of the products (Table 4.46).

Non-availability of proper marketing information to production units have stood as

problem to the artisans. They are producing articles as did by their ancestors. They have no

mechanism to generate idea about the changing taste of the customers in changing liberalised

market environment. Again, the products made by traditional production units with the help

of low level of technology are bulky. Hence, it becomes difficult to carry the products in long

distance and the task is very expensive. Therefore, the peoples from out side India find

difficult to buy and carry the products. At these backdrops, the artisans are unable to face the

challenges posed by the changing market environment along with changing value system and

taste of the indigenous user segment.

Challenges posed by the changing competitive market environment along with

changing value system create hurdles in marketing the products. The imitated bell and brass

metal products also creates serious problem of marketing as the government has not issued

‘Trade-Mark’ for the traditional products of the state. Again, the products of stainless steel,

plastic, aluminium, glasses etc. have thrown adverse affects on traditional products of both

the industries.

The marketing of bell and brass metal products was initiated in an organised manner

by the ACBMUMSL after its establishment in 1933. The society bears the responsibility of

supplying raw materials and charcoal to bell metal production units and receives the finished

199

products to sale through its branch-cum-sale centres located in different towns and cities of

Assam. Apart from this, the branch offices of the society are buying brass metal products

mainly from Sarthebari cluster and Hajo to sell at their respective sale centre. However, the

society finds difficulty in the marketing the raw material, energy and products. The society

lacks in finance for smooth conduct of business in large scale. Therefore, it is not in a

position to buy raw materials in bulk from outside the state. Thus, they always remained as

dependent to Guwahati base mahajans for raw materials collection. The transportation cost

of the products from garhsal to market place is more and has an adverse affects on customers

of both the industries. Again, the marketing network of the society is limited to twelve

localities in the towns and cities of Assam. Thus, the village peoples of the state have

deprived from the services outlets of the co-operative movement associated with bell and

brass metal industries.

The marketing of bell and brass metal raw materials, energy and products needs

comparatively huge amount of money. However, the people of the major producing areas of

these industries are economically poor. Therefore, the poor artisans and young generations of

the localities of the major producing areas are not able to involve them in trades of bell and

brass raw metals, energy and products. For short security capacity, they are not able to

receive required amount of finance either from bank or from any other financial institutions.

The local traders, mahajans and aratdar are in a good position in marketing of bell

and brass metals related raw materials and products for financial, managerial and networking

weaknesses of co-operative society. These trade centers running under private ownership

have located in almost all towns and cities of Assam. The concentration of private trade

200

centers is more in upper part of Assam. The supply of raw materials and energy have almost

controlled by local traders and mahajans. It throws adverse affect on production process and

marketing of products.

Hawkers are engaged in business of products and collection of raw materials of bell

and brass metal industries. They are also acting as advertising agents for the products of these

industries. Therefore, they are regarded as people’s ambassador for such industries. But, the

backward transportation system, abrupt changes of price of products and raw materials, lack

of finance, weight of the products and scrap materials, light weight low priced machine made

products available in the market restricts their door to door marketing strategy. All factors

mutually acts against their smooth conduct of business. Some time traders and artisans

engaged in bell and brass metal industries participated in national and international trade fairs

with the help of government departments and NCOs. Nevertheless, reportedly they faced the

problem of conversation for low level of literacy.

The trade relation of bell and brass metals has remained till today with the peoples of

Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Arunachal Pradesh and some other places. The traders from these

places used to come to the producing areas and bought the products that best preferred by the

customer of their homeland. At least two times in a year, the traders come to Assam and

reside temporarily as guest with some selected production units. After then, they offered

order to production units according to the needs of their respective localities. During field

investigation, the researcher personally met Mr. T. Lama, a trader from Bhutan. He mainly

involves in importing cymbal of various shape, size and kind and products related to

Buddhist religion. The Buddhist people mainly imports four different kinds of cymbal

201

namely rumu, chiming, pasang and jumu. The Buddhist people buy products not in weight

but as kilogram size system as expressed by Mr. D. Talukdar a trader from Sarthebari, who

has business relation with Nepal and Arunachal Pradesh. The people of Arunachal Pradesh

have love and respect to bell metal products of Assam, especially products of Sarthebari

Cluster. The intermediaries or aratdar are supplying these products. They preserved the

products, which are looks very old to show their dignity in society. Especially they preferred

those bell metal products known as Dafla Kahi, Dafla Bati, Ban Kahi and Ban Bati along

with some other products.

Considering all the above-mentioned marketing problems, there is an urgent need to

put effort to solve these for future all round development of both the industries. Stakeholders

should put possible effort to have such up gradation of these industries.

4.7. STAKEHOLDER’S PERCEPTION ON THE INDUSTRY

Perception is the process of perceiving something or the ability to perceive and

understand something. Our senses play a critical role in perception. Any one of five different

senses such as see, smell, hear, taste and feel hits on our senses in every moment, most

sensations are filtered out. To have a better understanding of bell and brass metal industry, it

is necessary to understand the stakeholders’ perception on both the industries. Here workers,

sellers, buyers and members of the management groups of bell and brass metal industries are

considered as stakeholder. Workers of bell and brass metal industries are the main

stakeholder and insiders of the industry. No other peoples have the knowledge about these

industries more than the workers, i.e. artisans. Therefore, their perception towards the

industries seems very important.

202

4.7.1. Perception on economy of the Industry

Economy of any production system is one of the main stay as it has multi dimensional

affects on each stages of production and thus it affects various stakeholders of the bell and

brass metal sector. Among the bell and brass metal smithy owner 39.02 and 27.27 per cents

have perceived that both the industries are in bad economic shape (Table 4.47 and 4.48).

However, 07.32 and 07.27 per cents of the smithy owner perceived the sectors’ economic

position as good. On the other hand 12.20 and 12.73 per cents have perceived the situation as

intermediate. 17.7 percent of the bell metal workers and 27. 27 per cent brass metal workers

perceived that the economic health of the sectors is controlled by the traders. Merely 2.44 per

cent of bell and 5.45 per cent of the brass workers opined the economic health of the sectors

as good, though it is controlled basically by traders. Against this, 14.63 per cent bell and

10.91 per cent brass workers observed the economic condition of the sectors as bad as traders

control the economy. Among the workers 7.32 per cent from bell and 9.09 per cent of the

brass metal workers opined the situation as just thriving and viewed about the significant

control of traders in these sectors. The workers responses reveal that the economic condition

of both industries is not in good shape and overall controlled of traders in the sector.

Table 4.47: Perception of bell metal workers on economy

Sl.

No.

Name of the cluster No. of

units

surveyed

Responses of the workers

Good Bad Thrive

somehow

Controlled

by traders

Good but

controlled

by traders

Bad and

controlled

by traders

Thrive and

controlled

by traders

1 Sarthebari Cl. 36 02 13 04 07 01 06 03

2 Ganeshpara, Ghy. 02 00 01 01 00 00 00 00

3 Western Assam Cl. 03 01 02 00 00 00 00 00

Total 41 03 16 05 07 01 06 03

P. C. to total 100 07.32 39.02 12.20 17.07 02.44 14.63 07.32


203

Table 4.48: Perception of brass metal workers on economy


The traders and members of management groups of bell and brass metal industries

have perceived on the economic scenario in a different way (Table 4.49 and 4.50). As per the

26.67 per cent of traders and 15.38 per cent respondents of management groups the economy

of these industries are in good shape. Again, 20.00 per cent traders and 38.46 per cent

members perceived the situation as bad. On the other hand, 53.33 per cent of traders and

46.15 per cent of management group members the economic position of both the industries

are in intermediate state i. e. thrive somehow. While 60.00 traders and 100.00 per cent

members opined that the industries have faced acute problems of working capital.

View of the stakeholders on the contribution of bell and brass metal sector to states

economy and employment generation opportunities associated with them are two other areas

of investigation. Among the respondents 80.00 from the bell and 92.31 per cent from the

brass metal sector ascertains the sectors contribution to state’s economy. Among them, 86.67

from the bell and 92.31 per cents from the brass sector viewed the sectors’ positive role in

employment generation. While queries regarding the future of these sectors in terms of their

Sl.

No.

Name of the cluster No. of

units

surveyed


Good Bad Thrive

somehow

Controlled

by traders

Good but

controlled

by traders

Bad and

controlled

by traders

Thrive and

controlled

by traders

1 Sarthebari Cl. 20 02 05 03 05 02 02 01

2 Hajo 22 01 08 02 08 01 01 01

3 Silchar 04 00 01 01 00 00 01 01

4 Guwahati Cl. 02 00 01 00 00 00 01 00

5 Mugkuchi 02 01 00 01 00 00 00 00

6 Barpeta Road 02 00 00 00 01 00 00 01

7 Western Assam Cl 03 00 00 00 01 00 01 01

Total 55 04 15 07 15 03 06 05

P. C. total 100 07.27 27.27 12.73 27.27 05.45 10.91 09.09

204

economic prospect, 80 percent from bell and 38.46 per cent form brass sector perceived a

better future economic state and 20.00 percent bell and 61.54 per cent brass sector related

stakeholders are not optimistic for the sectors’ future economic condition.

Table 4.49: Perception of sale centre owner on economy of bell and brass metal industries


Table 4.50: Perception of members of the management groups on economy of bell and brass

metal industries


Note: ACBMUMSL- The Assam Co-operative Bell Metal Utensil Manufacturing Society Limited, SNKS-

Sarthebari Nagar Kanhar Sangha, APSS- The Assam Pital Silpi Sangstha, AMGA- Assam Metal Gild

Association, BHMPKS- Brihattar Hajo Muslimpatti Pital Karikar Sangha, APO- Adhoc Pecifist Organisation.

P-president, S-Secretary, M-Member

Sl.

No. Name of the

cluster

No. of

units

surveyed


Good Bad Thrive

somehow

Shortage

of

finance

Contributes

to state’s

economy

Creates

employment

opportunity

Better

economic

future

Dark

economic

future

1 Sarthebari, Barpeta 03 01 01 01 01 02 03 03 00

2 Hajo, Kamrup 04 01 01 02 03 04 02 03 01

3 Tihu, Nalbari 01 00 00 01 01 01 01 01 00

4 Barpeta Road, Barpeta 01 00 00 01 00 01 01 00 01

5 Jorhat, Jorhat 01 01 00 00 00 01 01 01 00

6 Sapatgram, Dhubri 01 00 00 01 01 01 01 01 00

7 Bilasipara, Dhubri 01 00 00 01 01 01 01 01 00

8 Silchar, Cachar 02 00 01 01 02 01 02 01 01

9 Thimphu, Bhutan 01 01 00 00 00 00 01 01 00

Total 15 04 03 08 09 12 13 12 03

P. C. to total 26.67 20.00 53.33 60.00 80.00 86.67 80.00 20.00

Sl.

No.

Name and address of

management group

Member

surveyed

Responses of the members

Good Bad Thrive

somehow

Shortage

of

finance

Contributes

to state’s

economy

Creates

employment

opportunity

Better

economic

future

Dark

economic

future

1 ACBMUMSL

Sarthebari 03,p,s, m 00 00 03 03 03 03 01 02

2 SNKS, Sarthebari 02, p, s 00 02 00 02 02 02 00 02

3 AKSS, Sarthebari 02, p, s 00 02 00 02 02 02 01 01

4 APSS, Baniakuchi 02, p, s 00 01 01 02 01 01 01 01

5 AMGA, Sarthebari 01, s 01 00 00 01 01 01 01 00

6 BHMPKSS, Hajo 02, p, s 00 00 02 02 02 02 00 02

7 APO, Guwahati 01, p 01 00 00 01 01 01 01 00

Total 13 02 05 06 13 12 12 05 08

P. C. to total 15.38 38.46 46.15 100.00 92.31 92.31 38.46 61.54

205

It has seen that the workers and members of the management groups perceived the

situation in different and quite opposite directions. This is because of the fact that traders

have different ways of earning apart from business of bell and brass metal products, raw

materials and energy. Therefore, the actual income of traders is much higher than that of

artisans engaged in both the industries. So, the economic perception of traders seems to be

different from the artisans.

4.7.2. Perception on raw materials

Attempt has also been made through this work to understand the perception of

workers, owner of the sale centres and members of the management groups on raw materials

used in the sector (Table 4.51 to 4.54). Irregular and insufficient supply of raw material is the

main problem of both the industries. Out of total bell and brass unit owners, 95.12 and 98.18

per cents respectively perceived irregularity and insufficient supply scenario of raw

materials. Similarly, 93.33 per cents of traders and 100.00 per cent members of the

management groups perceived supply of raw materials as irregular and insufficient.

Insufficiency and irregular supply of raw materials is really a cause of concern for the

industry.

Table 4.51: Perception of workers on raw materials used in bell metal industry


Sl.

No

Name of the cluster Response of the bell metal workers on raw materials

No. of units

surveyed

Irregular and

insufficient

supply

Frequent

change of

price

Supply

controlled

by traders

Low

quality

Low rate of

new

production 1 Sarthebari Cluster 36 34 31 21 15 08

2 Ganeshpara, Guwahati 02 02 01 00 00 01

3 Western Assam Cl. 03 03 02 02 01 02

Total 41 39 35 23 16 11

P. C. to total 95.12 85.37 56.10 38.92 26.83

206

Table 4.52: Perception of workers on raw materials used in brass metal industry


Frequent change of price is another aspects of raw materials used in bell and brass

metal industries. Off the total respondents, 85.37 per cent bell meal smithy owner, 76.33 per

cent brass metal smithy owner, 73.33 per cent traders and 76.82 per cent members perceived

frequent change of price of raw materials as an important issue associated with the present

and future of the industries concern.

Table 4.53: Perception of traders on raw materials used in brass metal industry

Sl.

No

Name of the cluster

and district

Response of the brass metal workers on raw materials

No. of units

surveyed

Irregular and

insufficient

supply

Frequent

change of

price

Supply controlled

by outside traders

Low

quality

Low rate

of new

production

1 Sarthebari, Barpeta 03 03 02 01 01 03

2 Hajo, Kamrup 04 03 02 02 02 03

3 Tihu, Nalbari 01 01 01 00 01 01

4 Barpeta Road, Barpeta 01 01 01 01 01 00

5 Jorhat, Jorhat 01 01 01 00 01 01

6 Sapatgram, Kokrajhar 01 01 01 01 01 01

7 Bilasipara, Dhubri 01 01 01 01 01 01

8 Silchar, Cachar 02 02 01 01 01 02

9 Thimphu, Bhutan 01 01 01 00 01 01

Total 15 14 11 07 10 13

P. C. to total 93.33 73.33 46.67 66.67 86.67


Sl.

No

Name of the

cluster

Response of the brass metal workers on raw materials

No. of units

surveyed

Irregular and

insufficient

supply

Frequent

change of

price

Supply

controlled

by traders

Low

quality

Low rate

of new

production

1 Sarthebari cluster 20 20 19 10 15 03

2 Hajo 22 21 15 13 07 08

3 Silchar 04 04 02 01 00 00

4 Guwahati 02 02 02 00 01 00

5 Mugkuchi 02 02 02 00 00 00

6 Barpeta Road 02 02 01 02 01 00

7 Western Assam 03 03 01 03 00 00

Total 55 54 42 29 24 11

P. C. to total 98.18 76.36 52.73 43.64 20.00

207

Table 4.54: Perception of members of management groups on raw materials used in bell

and brass metal industry

Sl.

No

Name of the cluster

and district

Response of the members of the management groups on raw materials

No. of

units

surveyed

Irregular and

insufficient

supply

Frequent

change of

price

Supply

controlled

by traders

Low

quality

Low rate

of new

production

1 ACBMUMSL Sarthebari 03, p, s, m 03 02 02 01 01

2 SNKS, Sarthebari 02, p, s 02 02 02 01 01

3 AKSS, Sarthebari 02, p, s 02 01 02 02 01

4 APSS, Baniakuchi 02, p, s 02 01 02 01 00

5 AMGA, Sarthebari 01, s 01 01 01 01 00

6 BHMPKSS, Hajo 02, p, s 02 02 02 01 01

7 APO, Guwahati 01, p 01 01 01 00 00

Total 13 13 10 12 07 04

P. C. to total 100.00 76.92 92.31 53.85 30.77

Source: Field Survey, 2008-09.

Another important aspect of the industry is related with supply of raw materials and

control of suppliers on it. Altogether 56.10 per cent smithy owner of bell metal sector, 52.73

per cent brass metal smithy owner, 46.67 per cent traders and 92.31 per cent members of the

management groups perceived the control of traders both outsider and insiders of the state.

Quality of products depends upon the quality of raw materials. Good quality raw

materials can yield beautiful articles if other parameters of production remain favourable.

The existence of low quality raw materials are perceived by 38.92 per cent bell metal smithy

owner, 43.64 per cent brass metal smithy owner, 66.67 per cent traders and 53.85 per cents

members of the management groups.

Low rate of raw material production is another aspect associated with the prospects of

the sector. This aspect is perceived by 26.83, 20.00, 86.67 and 30.77 percentages of bell

metal smithy owner, brass metal smithy owner, traders and members of the management

groups respectively. Among the different stakeholders only the traders have perceived it

208

overwhelmingly high percentage. It indicates that the traders are much concern about the

supply and production situation of raw material. Remaining three groups of respondents have

little concern about this vital aspect.

4.7.3. Perception on workers’ status

Workers engaged in bell and brass metal industries have no special or professional

class. It is open to any one who wants to be kanhar or pital karikar or pital silpi, what may

be the case. But, generally, they are at the lowest level of literacy, poor economic condition,

used primitive implements, applied traditional method of production and dependent on

traders for continuing their production process. Therefore, they earn minimum profit in the

existing system and deprived from the actual profit. Artisans are depriving from getting

proper dignity in the society. Their status has been perceived in different by smithy owners,

traders and members of management groups (Table 4.55 to 4.58). In this connection, 85.37

per cent of bell metal smithy owners, 80.00 per cent of brass metal smithy owners, 60.00 per

cent of traders of bell and brass metal industries and 92.31 per cent of the members of the

management groups indicating towards low income of workers engaged in bell and brass

metal sector. Again, all of them were perceived respectively the low standard of living

condition of the workers of bell and brass metal industries.

Poor financial management of artisans is another aspect to be considered. The bell

and brass metal workers and the members of the management groups are either not willing to

confess the truth or not able to realise the situation. Therefore, response to this aspect is low

as responds to this aspect is from 39.02 per cent of metal smithy owners, 34.55 per cent of

brass metal smithy owners and 38.46 per cent of the members of management groups. But,

209

only the traders group under study perceive it as an important aspect as 66.67 per cent of

them had responded to the query.

Table 4.55: Perception of bell metal smithy owner on workers’ status


Table 4.56: Perception of brass metal smithy owner on workers’ status


Lack of literacy is a serious problem in modernise the industry. Response to this

aspect is 63.41, 58.18, 80.00 and 69.23 per cents for bell metal smithy owner, brass metal

smithy owner, traders and members of the management groups respectively. Again, this

important aspect is best reflects by the response of traders. Ill health of the workers is

Sl.

No.

Nam

e o

f th

e

clu

ster

or

loca

tio

n

Un

its

surv

eyed

Response of smithy owners of bell metal industry

Lo

w i

nco

me

Lo

w s

tan

dar

d

of

liv

ing

Po

or

fin

anci

al

man

agem

ent

Lo

w l

evel

of

lite

racy

Ill

hea

lth

Invo

lve

ind

ebt

Sh

ort

age

of

wo

rkin

g c

apit

al

Lim

ited

alte

rnat

ive

Har

d w

ork

ing

Fu

ture

fin

anci

al

inse

curi

ty

No

t w

illi

ng

to

use

mo

der

n

imp

lem

ents

1 Sarthebari cluster 36 32 21 14 23 17 19 29 18 16 22 34

2 Ganeshpara, Ghy. 02 01 02 01 01 00 02 02 01 02 01 02

3 Western Assam 03 02 02 01 02 01 02 02 01 03 02 03

Total 41 35 25 16 26 18 23 33 20 21 25 39

P. C. to total 85.37 60.98 39.02 63.41 43.90 56.10 80.49 48.78 51.22 60.98 95.12

Sl.

No.

Nam

e o

f th

e

clu

ster

or

loca

tio

n

Un

its

surv

eyed

Response of smithy owners

Lo

w i

nco

me

Lo

w s

tan

dar

d

of

liv

ing

Po

or

fin

anci

al

man

agem

ent

Lo

w l

evel

of

lite

racy

Ill

hea

lth

Invo

lve

ind

ebt

Sh

ort

age

of

wo

rkin

g c

apit

al

Lim

ited

alte

rnat

ive

Har

d w

ork

ing

Fu

ture

fin

anci

al

inse

curi

ty

No

t w

illi

ng

to

use

mo

der

n

imp

lem

ents

1 Sarthebari cluster 20 17 13 09 12 12 09 13 06 12 09 17 2 Hajo 22 17 14 08 13 11 12 15 18 10 12 18

3 Silchar 04 02 02 00 01 01 00 02 01 02 02 03

4 Guwahati Cluster 02 02 00 00 01 02 00 00 02 01 01 00

5 Mugkuchi 02 01 01 01 01 01 00 01 00 02 02 00

6 Barpeta Road 02 02 02 01 02 00 00 01 01 02 02 01

7 Western Assam Cl 03 03 02 00 02 02 01 02 00 01 01 02

Total 55 44 34 19 32 29 22 34 28 30 29 41

P. C. to total 80.00 61.82 34.55 58.18 52.73 40.00 61.82 50.91 54.45 52.73 74.55

210

perceived by the four groups of respondents as 43.90, 52.73, 33.33 and 46.15 per cents

respectively. Response to this aspect is medium to low. Except traders, all have perceived it

in moderate way. Only the traders have low response i.e. 33.33 per cent as they are not able

to realise the situation relating to the deficiency of literacy. Moreover, the response of the

four groups also reflected that 56.10, 40.00, 53.33 and 69.23 per cents responses had gone

towards the involvement in debt of the workers of bell and brass metal workers. Though

workers are able to know the actual ground situation, it seems that they have no desire to

realise it. Therefore, their response is not completely coinciding with ground situation.

Shortage of working capital is also a burning problem of the industries concerned. This

aspect is perceived as important by the four respondent groups as 80.49, 61.82, 60.00 and

76.92 per cents respectively. In reality, the responses should be higher than as perceived. The

illiterate workers have little financial records and not willing to expose such facts in this

respect. Hence it is found to be difficult to know the actual situation.

Table 4.57: Perception of traders of bell and brass metal industries on workers


Sl.

No.

Nam

e o

f th

e

clu

ster

or

loca

tio

n

Un

its

surv

eyed


Lo

w i

nco

me

Lo

w s

tan

dar

d

of

liv

ing

Po

or

fin

anci

al

man

agem

ent

Lo

w l

evel

o

f

lite

racy

Ill

hea

lth

Invo

lve

ind

ebt

Sh

ort

age

of

wo

rkin

g c

apit

al

Lim

ited

alte

rnat

ive

Har

d w

ork

ing

Fu

ture

fin

anci

al

inse

curi

ty

No

t w

illi

ng

to

use

mo

der

n

imp

lem

ents

1 Sarthebari, Barpeta 03 02 01 03 02 01 02 02 02 03 01 03

2 Hajo, Kamrup 04 02 02 03 02 02 02 03 03 03 01 03

3 Tihu, Nalbari 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 00 01 4 Barpeta Road, Barpeta 01 00 00 01 01 00 01 01 01 01 01 02

5 Jorhat, Jorhat 01 01 01 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

6 Sapatgram, Kokrajhar 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 00 01 7 Bilasipara, Dhubri 01 00 00 01 01 00 01 01 01 01 01 01

8 Silchar, Cachar 02 01 01 00 02 00 00 00 00 01 01 02 9 Thimphu, Bhutan 01 01 01 00 01 00 00 00 00 01 00 00

Total 15 09 08 10 12 05 08 09 09 12 05 13 P. C. to total 60.00 53.33 66.67 80.00 33.33 53.33 60.00 60.00 80.00 33.33 86.67

211

The poor, landless, ignorant workers have limited alternative for their livelihood.

Possibilities of getting any government or non government job are almost impossible, except

very few at the lowest level of literacy of the workers of bell and brass metal industries.

Response to the aspect by bell metal smithy owners, brass metal smithy owners, traders and

the members of the management groups are 48.78, 50.91, 60.00 and 84.62 per cents

respectively. The implication of these responses is that the workers are engaged in bell and

brass metal industries compel to continue these jobs due to lack of alternative livelihood

opportunities. In fact, they are continuing their job for keeping the family tradition alive with

a sense of belonging to the native culture.

Table 4.58: Perception of members of management groups on workers


Last, but very important aspect to the industries concern is the perception on the use of

modern implements. To thrive well in this age of global marketing system, one should

produce things to fulfil the needs of the modern customers. For this reason, to produce

beautiful articles in a short period of time at minimum cost of production, the use of modern

implements to a certain level is necessary. The workers of bell and brass metal industries are

Sl.

No.

Nam

e o

f th

e

clu

ster

an

d

dis

tric

t

No

. o

f u

nit

s

surv

eyed


Lo

w i

nco

me

Lo

w s

tan

dar

d

of

liv

ing

Po

or

fin

anci

al

man

agem

ent

Lo

w l

evel

of

lite

racy

Ill

hea

lth

Invo

lve

ind

ebt

Sh

ort

age

of

wo

rkin

g c

apit

al

Lim

ited

alte

rnat

ive

Har

d w

ork

ing

Fu

ture

fin

anci

al

inse

curi

ty

No

t w

illi

ng

to

use

mo

der

n

imp

lem

ents

1 ACBMUMSL

Sarthebari

03, p, s,

m 02 01 01 03 01 02 02 03 01 01 03

2 SNKS, Sarthebari 02, p, s 02 02 01 01 01 01 02 02 02 02 02 3 AKSS, Sarthebari 02, p, s 02 02 00 02 01 02 02 02 02 02 02 4 APSS, Baniakuchi 02, p, s 02 01 01 01 01 02 02 01 01 02 02 5 AMGA, Sarthebari 01, s 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 6 BHMPKSS, Hajo 02, p, s 02 02 00 01 00 01 01 02 01 02 02 7 APO, Guwahati 01, p 01 01 01 00 01 00 00 00 01 01 01

Total 13 12 10 05 09 06 09 10 11 09 11 13 P. C. to total 92.31 76.92 38.46 69.23 46.15 69.23 76.92 84.62 69.23 84.62 100.00

212

not willing to use modern implements. The responses against to this aspect as perceived by

the four respondent groups are 95.12, 74.55, 86.67 and 100.00 per cents. The respondent

workers are very highly negative for the fear of loosing dignity of their indigenous job.

Therefore, they react against the use of modern implements.

4.7.4. Perception on production and productivity

Production is the process of transforming raw materials into finished goods.

Sometimes these finished goods may again use to produce new goods. For example, by

mixing copper and tin at the required ratio one can produce an alloy called kanh (bell metal)

and from this kanh varied articles may produce, if necessary for different uses. These

products are then sold to wholesalers, who in turn sell them to retailers, who then sell them to

end users- the ‘customers’. The production of bell and brass metal industries is very low for

insufficient supply of raw materials and energy used in the process. At the same time, these

are localised in certain pockets of the state. Therefore, the possibility to increase the products

of both the industries is not possible in such a stage.

Productivity is a measure of the efficiency of production. It is a ratio of what is

produced to what is required to produce. Usually this ratio is in the form of an average,

expressing the total output divided by the total input. In short, productivity is the output per

unit of input. Generally the rate of productivity is high in case of bell and brass metal

industries. The amount mulmorah is 30 kilograms for one tone of inputs except the units of

western part of Assam. Hence, in the state as a whole productivity is 970 kilogram from one

213

tone input. However, in western Assam cluster the rate of productivity is 940 kilogram/ tone

as the amount of mulmorah is 60 kilogram for each tone of input.

The workers of bell and brass metal industries have perceived that there remains the

tendency for the closure of their production, if conditions further deteriorated. At the same

time the traders and members expected to the use of modern implements to increase

production and productivity. But, the increasing rate of raw materials and energy for both the

bell and brass metal industries, restricting its development.

4.7.5. Perception on institutional role

Apart from the traditional institutional structure of the bell and brass metal industries,

government departments, semi-government, non-government organisations and financial

institutions are trying ways and means for the development of bell and brass metal industries.

But, in reality, efforts put from all corners cannot fully develop these industries. Most of the

workers have no idea about the role played by different institutes. Therefore, they have no

idea about the role played by them and these groups of workers have no perception about the

role played by the institutions towards the bell and brass metal industries. Only 26.33 and

30.91 per cents of bell and brass metal workers see the glimpse of hope in the ‘Honourable

Chief Minister’s Incentive Scheme’for the development of Bell and Brass Metal Industries of

Assam. The remaining parts of artisans are reluctant to the role played by the institutions.

4.7.6. Perception on marketing techniques

Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of

interest to customers and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business

214

development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business

communication and business developments. It proposes that in order to satisfy organizational

objectives, an organization should anticipate the needs and wants of consumers and satisfy

these more effectively than competitors. Marketing practice tended to be seen as a creative

industry in the past, which included advertising, distribution and selling. The consumer wants

are the drivers of strategic marketing decisions. No strategy is pursued until it passes the test

of consumer research. Every aspect of a market offering, including the nature of the product

itself, is driven by the needs of potential consumers. The starting point is always the

consumer. History attests to many products that were commercial failures in spite of being

technological breakthroughs.

The marketing techniques adopted by the artisans of bell and brass metal industries

are not common to all. Production units of bell and brass metal industries are related to

process of production that receive raw materials in a condition that the products must return

after deduction of mulmorah. They are receiving making charges and have very little or no

idea about the marketing of the products. The 31 out of the 41 bell metal units and 33 out of

the 55 brass metal production units under study fall under this group. Only the production

units who are buying raw materials from own sources have direct contact with the process of

marketing. Out of total units under study, 7 fully and 3 partly involving in bell metal units

and 22 brass metal units fall in the group.

Again, the owners of trade centers who are supplying raw materials to the

production units have close connection with the process of production. Out of total 15

numbers of such centers 05 bell and 08 brass metals sale centers belong to this type that

215

supply raw material to production units. However, 05 sale centers of both bell and brass

metal are involved in indigenous products purchased and sale. Only one unit under study has

neither supplied bell metal nor supplied brass metal to production units but buy and sale

indigenous products. They are selling products directly to the customers and a part of it to the

retail sellers. Only the traders who are buy finished products have little or no knowledge

about the process of production.

Among the management groups under study, only The Assam Co-operative Bell

Metal Utensils Manufacturing Society Limited has connection with the marketing of raw

materials and products through its 12 sales-cum-branch offices established at different towns

and cities of Assam. ‘Adhoc Pecifist Organisation’, another organization of the state that has

performed business within and outside the state. To understand the marketing environment,

an attempt has been made to understand the perception of the workers, traders and members

of the management groups towards the marketing process (Table 4.59 to 4.62).

Out of the total respondents, 24.39 per cent of bell metal workers, 30.91 per cent of

brass metal workers, 60.00 per cent of traders and 61.54 per cents of the members of the

management groups opined that they have clear idea about the marketing of raw materials

and products inside the state. The responses of share of workers are quite few in relation to

the traders and members of the management groups. It indicates that the workers of

production units have little or no relation with marketing aspects as they mainly produces

articles. At the same time 51.22, 43.64, 26.67 and 30.77 per cents of respondents of the four

groups perceive that they have limited idea about the marketing technique of bell and brass

metal products inside the state. In this regard the share of the perception of workers is much

216

Table 4.59: Perception of bell metal workers on marketing techniques


higher than that of traders and members. Again, 24.39 and 25.45 per cents of bell and brass

metal workers have no clear idea about the marketing of products of bell and brass metal

industries inside the state. As against this, the responses of traders and members of the

management groups are different, showing a negligible share of 13.33 per cent and 07.69 per

cent respectively. Meaning of these responses is that a more number of traders and members

have either clear or have limited idea about the bell and brass metal industries.

Table 4.60: Perception of brass metal workers on marketing techniques


Sl.

No.

Name of the cluster

or location

No. of

units

surveyed

Response of the bell metal workers

Perception on marketing of raw materials

and products

Attended exhibition -

cum-sale programme

Idea inside state Idea outside state Inside the

state

Outside

the state clear limited no clear limited no

1 Sarthebari Cluster 36 10 18 08 04 12 20 06 03

2 Ganeshpara,

Guwahati

02 00 01 01 00 01 01 01 00

3 Western Assam Cl 03 00 02 01 00 01 02 01 00

Total 41 10 21 10 04 14 23 08 03

P. C. to total 24.39 51.22 24.39 09.75 34.15 56.10 19.51 07.32

Sl.

No.

Name of the cluster or

centre

No. of

units

surveyed

Response of the brass metal workers

Perception on marketing of raw materials and

products

Attended exhibition–

cum-sale programme

Idea inside the state Idea outside the state Inside the

state

Outside


1 Sarthebari Cluster 20 07 09 04 02 05 13 04 02

2 Hajo 22 04 11 07 01 06 15 05 02

3 Silchar 04 02 01 01 00 01 03 00 00

4 Guwahati Cluster 02 02 00 00 00 01 01 01 00

5 Mugkuchi 02 02 00 00 00 00 02 01 00

6 Barpeta Road 02 00 01 01 00 00 02 02 02

7 Western Assam Cl. 03 00 02 01 00 00 03 01 00

Total 55 17 24 14 03 13 39 14 06

P. C. to total 30.91 43.64 25.45 05.45 23.64 70.91 25.45 10.91

217

Only 09.75 and 05.45 per cents workers from bell and brass sector have clear idea

about the market outside the state against 26.67 and 15.38 per cents traders and members in

these sectors respectively. A very few numbers of all respondents have clear idea about the

outside market. Medium responses as 34.15, 23.64, 46.67 and 15.38 per cent of the

respective respondent groups have limited idea about the market outside the state. At the

same time, 56.10 and 70.91 per cents workers of bell and brass metal sector and 26.67 and

69.24 per cents of traders and members of the management groups have no idea about the

marketing of products outside the state. In brief, except traders, all other groups of

respondents have very little idea about the possible outside marketing beyond the state.

Table 4.61: Perception of traders of bell and brass metals marketing techniques

. Source: Field Survey, 2008-09

An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of

selected items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within museums, galleries and

Sl.

No

.

Name of the cluster

or centre

No. of

units

surveyed

Response of the traders of bell and brass metal workers


products

Attended exhibition–

cum-sale programme

Idea inside the state Idea outside the state Inside

the state

Outside


1 Sarthebari, Barpeta 03 03 00 00 01 01 01 01 00

2 Hajo, Kamrup 04 03 01 00 02 01 01 02 01

3 Tihu, Nalbari 01 01 00 00 00 01 00 01 00

4 Barpeta Road, Barpeta 01 01 00 00 00 01 00 01 00

5 Jorhat, Jorhat 01 01 00 00 00 01 00 01 00

6 Sapatgram, Kokrajhar 01 00 01 00 00 01 00 01 00

7 Bilasipara, Dhubri 01 00 00 01 00 00 01 01 00

8 Silchar, Cachar 02 00 01 01 01 00 01 00 00

9 Thimphu, Bhutan 01 00 01 00 00 01 00 01 00

Total 15 09 04 02 04 07 04 09 01

P. C. to total 60.00 26.67 13.33 26.67 46.67 26.67 60.00 06.67

218

exhibition halls and fairs either local or regional. Exhibitions include [whatever as in major

art museums and small art galleries; interpretive exhibitions, as at natural history museums

and history museums], for example; a commercial exhibition or trade fair. Exhibitions may

be permanent or temporary displays, but in common usage, "exhibitions" are considered

temporary and usually scheduled to open and close on specific dates. While many exhibitions

are shown in just one venue, some exhibitions are shown in multiple locations and are called

traveling exhibitions.

Table 4.62: Perception of members of the management groups on marketing techniques


Commercial exhibitions, generally called trade fairs, trade shows or exposure are

usually organized so that organizations in a specific interest or industry can showcase and

demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent

trends and opportunities. Some trade fairs are open to the public, while others can only be

attended by company representatives (members of the trade) and members of the press.

The groups of respondents have very little experience to attend the sale-cum-

promotion programmes of bell and brass metal products. For example, 19.51, 25.45, 60.00

Sl.

No

.

Name of the

management groups

No. of

units

surveyed

Response of the members of the management groups


products

Attended

exhibition–cum-sale

programme Idea inside the state Idea outside the state Inside

the state

Outside


1 ACBMUMSL

Sarthebari

03, p, s, m 03 00 00 01 02 00 01 00

2 SNKS, Sarthebari 02, p, s 01 01 00 00 00 02 00 00

3 AKSS, Sarthebari 02, p, s 01 01 00 00 00 02 01 00

4 APSS, Baniakuchi 02, p, s 01 00 01 00 00 02 01 00

5 AMGA, Sarthebari 01, s 00 01 00 00 00 01 01 00

6 BHMPKSS, Hajo 02, p, s 01 01 00 00 00 02 01 01

7 APO, Guwahati 01, p 01 00 00 01 00 00 01 01

Total 13 08 04 01 02 02 09 06 02

P. C. to total 61.54 30.77 07.69 15.38 15.38 69.24 46.15 15.38

219

and 46.15 per cents bell metal smithy owner, brass metal smithy owner, traders of bell and

brass metal products and members of the management groups have experience to join the

sales-cum-exhibition programme inside our state respectively. On the other hand, while

discussed about the programme outside the state, only 07.32, 20.91, 06.67 and 15.38 per

cents of respondents mentioned earlier have such type of experience respectively. Therefore,

the traditional products of bell and brass metal of Assam has not get much exposure outside

the state.

4.7.7. Perception on miscellaneous aspects

Attempt has also been made to understand the perception of stakeholders on some

issues like energy and working environment/ working shade (Table 4.63, 4.64, 4.65 and

4.66). At garhsal of bell metal industry charcoal is used as a source of raw material which is

locally known as angar. Brass metal industry generally uses both coke (pura kayala) and a

small amount of charcoal.

Table 4.63: Perception of bell metal workers on energy used and working environment

at garhsal


Sl.

No

.


location

Units

surveyed

Status of charcoal used Working environment at garhsal

Irregular

and

insufficient

supply

Frequent

price

hike

Decreases

bag size

Hygienic work

shed

Unhygienic

work shed


2 Ganeshpara, Guwahati 02 02 02 02 00 02

3 Western Assam Cl. 03 01 02 03 01 02

Total 41 28 33 36 12 29

P.C. to total 68.29 80.49 87.80 29.27 70.73

220

Table 4.64: Perception of brass metal workers on energy used and working environment

at garhsal


Table 4.65: Perception of traders on energy used and working environment at garhsal


Table 4. 66: Perception of members of the management groups on energy used and

working environment at garhsal.


Sl.

No


location

Units

surveyed

Status of energy used Working environment at garhsal

Irregular and

insufficient

supply

Frequent

price hike

Decreases

bag size

Hygienic work

shed

Unhygienic

work shed

1 Sarthebari Cluster 20 11 18 15 04 16 2 Hajo 22 12 17 12 04 18 3 Silchar 04 02 02 03 01 03 4 Guwahati Cluster 02 02 01 01 01 01 5 Mugkuchi 02 02 01 02 01 01 6 Barpeta Road 02 01 01 02 01 01 7 Western Assam Cl. 03 03 02 02 01 02

Total 55 33 42 37 13 42 P.C. to total 60.00 76.36 67.27 23.64 76.36

Sl.

No.

Name of the cluster

or location

Units

surveyed


Irregular and

insufficient

supply

Frequent

price hike

Decreases

bag size

Hygienic work

shed

Unhygienic

work shed

1 Sarthebari, Barpeta 03 03 03 03 01 02 2 Hajo, Kamrup 04 03 04 03 01 03 3 Tihu, Nalbari 01 01 01 01 00 01 4 Barpeta Road, Barpeta 01 01 01 01 00 01 5 Jorhat, Jorhat 01 00 01 01 00 01 6 Sapatgram, Kokrajhar 01 00 01 01 00 01 7 Bilasipara, Dhubri 01 01 01 01 00 01 8 Silchar, Cachar 02 02 02 02 01 01 9 Thimphu, Bhutan 01 01 01 01 00 01

Total 15 12 15 14 03 12 P.C. to total 80.00 100.00 93.33 20.00 80.00

Sl.

No

.


location

Units

surveyed


Irregular and

insufficient

supply

Frequent

price

hike

Decreases

bag size

Hygienic work

shed

Unhygienic

work shed

1 ACBMUMSL Sarthebari 03, p, s, m 03 03 03 01 02 2 SNKS, Sarthebari 02, p, s 02 02 02 01 01

3 AKSS, Sarthebari 02, p, s 02 02 02 01 01

4 APSS, Baniakuchi 02, p, s 02 02 02 00 02

5 AMGA, Sarthebari 01, s 01 01 01 00 01

6 BHMPKSS, Hajo 02, p, s 02 02 02 00 02

7 APO, Guwahati 01, p 01 01 01 00 01

Total 13 13 13 13 03 10

P.C. to total 100.00 100.00 100.00 23.08 76.92

221

Generally, garhsal is a room or building which provides both the area and tools (or

machinery) that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods. Apart

from the larger factories, workshops were the only places of production in the days before

industrialization. Therefore, the condition of this very important place should be affordable

one. But unfortunately, the work shade environment of the bell and brass metal industries

perceived as hygienic by only 29.27 per cent of bell metal workers, 23.64 per cent of brass

metal workers, 20.00 per cent of traders and 23.08 per cent of the member of management

group. Therefore, the 70.73, 76.36, 80.00 and 76.92 per cent workers rendered their services

in unhygienic environment according to the perception of respondents.

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Assam, the 9th

March 2009, p. 06

Bhattacharjee, K. (2008): Silcharer Kadcha, edited by Choudhury, A. D., second edition p.

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Deka, H. (1995): Oitishyapurna Pitalar Silpa in T. Tamuli and P. Deka (eds), Bhortaal,

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Dhar, P. K. (2005): The Economy of Assam (including Economy of North-East India), 5th

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Goswami, M. (2009): The Bell Metal Industry in Assam; a Study on Sarthebari (1880-1947),

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Hamilton, F. (1963): An Account of Assam, in Bhuyan S. K. (ed), Guwahati, pp. 48, 62

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MSME (2008): Annual Report 2008, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, downloaded on

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April 2009

Patowari, M. M. (2009): Assam Samabai Kanhar Sanghar Itibritta, in Patowari M. M (Ed)

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Sarma, M (2010): Problems of Youth: Tips to Research and Project, EBH Publications

(India), Guwahati, p. 119

Note: Bhattacharya, D. K. (2009): Field Officer, DICC Barpeta, reveals the information at

the time of field work

Barman, B. (2008-09): An inhabitant of village Haldhibari reveals the information at

the time of field work

Mirdha, B. (2009): A trader of Sapatgram reveals the information at the time of field

work

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