A temporal analysis of non-farm employment in rural Punjab

A study was conducted to examine the temporal behaviour of employment in farm and non-farm sector of rural Punjab by carrying out a case study of village Bilaspur in District Ludhiana at two times in 1995 and 2011. The pattern of employment exhibited upward trend in non-farm sector and downward trend in farm sector. In the non-farm sector, the employment avenues of the private sector have increased markedly over time. The number as well as the proportion of those employed in agriculture and allied sector having education level up to matriculation has increased. The preference for self employment and government service has increased among respondents who had education level above matriculation. The employment in respect of wage earners in the non-farm sector has increased through time. The respondents were employed in 14 occupations in 1995 which increased to 24 in 2011. It was interesting to note that respondents were engaged in several new occupations in 2011. On an average, respondents of the farm sector earned annually Rs. 50508 in 1995 and 85801 in 2011 as compared to 42612 in 1995 and 99120 in 2011 in the non-farm sector. This clearly showed that the income in the non-farm sector has increased at higher pace as compared to the farm sector.