IJEMR – March 2018 - Vol 8 Issue 03 - Online - ISSN 2249–2585 Print - ISSN 2249-8672

Empowering the Vulnerable Salt Pan Women Workers in Thoothukudi District

*Sr.A.Shumugavadivu
*Research Scholar, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University
Assistant Professor in Commerce, Holy Cross Science College for women, 52, New Colony,
Thoothukudi – 3
Abstract:
Empowering the Vulnerable workers is the important issues in Tamilnadu specially in
Tuticorin District. It is a revolutionary Dimension of Industrial relation specially in salt pan
areas. Women workers welfare includes over all welfare facilities to take care of well being of
salt pan women workers and in order to increase their standard of living wherever they are
situated and thirsting for their livelihood of empowerment. It does not means to constitutes
monetary benefits of the employers alone to provide the needs and necessity but it can also be
provided by the government, non government agencies and trade unions.
Salt pan work provides generally a source of lower income to the men and women
workers in Thoothukudi. The salt pan women workers are facing vulnerable situation of their
domain illiterate women workers have no other source of income from any other field. The salt
pan is the only source for the vulnerable women workers in Thoothukudi District. Since they
are living in the marginalized and wage based oppressed conditions. It must be changed into
empower their economic conditions.
The present study aims at understanding the degree of marginalized and vulnerable
women workers in salt pan towards fulfilling the objectives, a small study has been conducted
in the district of Thoothukudi in order to find out the realities faced by the salt workers under
the scourging sun which shows the major issues to constraints to reduce their poverty level
while empowering the high wage rate to fulfill basic needs of their families and produce
significant empowerment gains in the salt pan.
Keywords: Thoothukudi, Salt pan, Women workers, Empowerment, Degree of Vulnerablity.
Introduction:
A great majority of salt pan women workers are living under the line of the poverty.
Since their deprived of adequate access to the basic needs of life such food, shelter, health,
education, security, employment, justice and equality. The vital role of issues of sustainable
livelihood, social and political participation of vulnerable groups exist as the major problem in
the area of Thoothukudi District salt pan. The Trade unions, Government and salt pan
employers have failed to guarantee workers right and their life in the consideration level. But
they must be provided just and necessary awareness right to make known the social welfare
that offered to them through various schemes.
In order to alleviate the vulnerability situations of the women salt pan workers, must
break the underling poverty and make on empowerment weapon as a major barrier to have
the power of progress in their needful life as they satisfy their job with the high level of
income.
Empowerment of Salt Pan Women Workers
The salt pan women workers are the self employed people. They aim at economic
opportunities for their livelihood. The salt pan women workers designed to improve the quality
of living. Empowerment of Salt Pan women workers satisfy themselves as they fulfill the daily
needs of socio economic condition of their families. Salt pan women workers introduce
themselves enormously in the sustainable energy solution means to borrow profitable costs.
Salt pan can give women workers the salt produces tools, access and voice to better realize
profit and maximize their personal and community livelihoods. The indicator gives the
message that salt pan workers in Thoothkudi District is 51,647. Peoples are working in the
salt pan. Among them women salt pan workers are 38,318 recording to the year 2011. And
the remaining are the breadwinners of the salt pan women workers. Based on Rao Salt
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 IJEMR – March 2018 - Vol 8 Issue 03 - Online - ISSN 2249–2585 Print - ISSN 2249-8672

analysis among 400 populations, the sample size was 381. The achieved confidence level is
95% with the maximum point of view 6% salt pan women workers has to be empowered with
higher rate of wages from the vulnerable conditions to satisfy their job.
Literature Review:
Oxfan (1995) According to him, “empowerment involves challenging the forms of oppression
which compel millions of people to play a part in their society on terms which are inequitable
or in ways which deny their human rights.
K.V. Jeyaraj (1805-1878) quoted that “A history of salt monopoly in madras presidency. The
study point and that monopoly system on salt were first introduced by regulation - 1 of 1805
in the Madras presidency and continued upto 1878. This system increased the revenue of the
Government. The East Indian Company rationalized it into logical chain of government control
reading to better government, which led to more consumption which in its turn resulted in
more revenue.
Sen and Grown (1987), Batliwala, (1994), Binath & Elson (1999) focused on Feminist
perspective in social science promotes the empowerment of women as well as vulnerable
communities but variations appear regarding the concept and extent of interventions for
empowerment of women. Women’s empowerment requires systematic transformation is not
just among institutions, but fundamentally in those supporting patriarchal structures.
Godgil (165) stated that ‘basically unorganised labours whether in the rural or urban areas is
conterminous with poverty because whether if the marginal farmers or land less labourers or
migrant urban slum workers, they are such involved in a set of survival activities on the
margin of poverty.
Objectives of Study:
1. To assess the most vulnerable salt pan women workers.
2. To know the level of satisfaction of economic empowerment of women workers working salt
pan.
Methodology:
Scope of the Study:
In this study the researcher has analysed the vulnerability of salt pan women workers with
the satisfaction level of economic empowerment in Thoothukudi District.
Collection of Data:
The survey method was used to collect the required data for this study purpose. The
relevant information and data were obtained and collected on various aspects from the sample
respondents through personal interview with the concerned and using the aid of schedules
conducting pilot survey.
Data Analysis & Interpretation
Year wise working experience of Salt Pan Women Workers:
The year wise determining the calculation of the most important one to know the their
vulnerable conditions prevailing in their working place as they rendered their service so many
years in the salt pan. It shows how to empower their lives through various social schemes.

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 IJEMR – March 2018 - Vol 8 Issue 03 - Online - ISSN 2249–2585 Print - ISSN 2249-8672

Year wise working experience of Salt Pan Women Workers. (In Percentage)
No.of
S.No Years Percentage
Respondents
1. Below 5 24 6
2. 5 – 10 52 13
3. 10 – 15 38 95
4. 15 – 20 60 15
5. 20 - 25 124 31
6. 25 - 30 122 30.5
Total 400 100
Source: Based on field survey (2017 – 2018)
Figure 1.1 clearly indicates the yearly wise working experience distribution of Salt Pan
Women Workers. All the salt pan women workers are surveyed in the yearly working group of
5 to above 30 years.
Figure 1.1
Year wise working experience classification of sample Respondents

40
Percentage

30
20
10
0
Below 5 -10 10 - 15 15 - 20 20 - 25 25 - 30
5 Years
Year wise working experience of sample Respondents

Table 1.1 Clearly shows that out of 400 respondents 6% of 24 respondents having
below 5 years working experience. 13% of 52 respondents having 5 - 10 years working
experience. 9.5% of 38 respondents having 10 - 15 years working experience. 15% of 60
respondents having 15 - 20 years working experience. 31% of 124 respondents having 20 - 25
years working experience. 30.5% of 122 respondents having 25 - 30 years working experience.
Marital Status – wise classification of sample respondents
The Marital Status can be takes as the important social characteristics of salt pan
women workers since the individual responsibilities increases after marriage and when they
become as the widow. Because of the vulnerable position they are able to empower themselves
saving.
No. of
S.No Marital Status Percentage
Respondent
1 Married 230 57.5
2 Unmarried 15 3.8
3 Window 155 38.7
Total 400 100
Source: Based on field survey (2017 – 2018)
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 IJEMR – March 2018 - Vol 8 Issue 03 - Online - ISSN 2249–2585 Print - ISSN 2249-8672

Figure 2.1
Marital Status – wise classification of sample respondents

38.7 Married
57.5 Unmarried
3.8
Widow

It is very apparent from Table 2.1 that out of 400 respondent 230 respondent constituting
57.5% are married and the remaining 155 of them having 38.7% are widow and the low
balance 15 of them having 3.8% are Unmarried. It is understood that the majority of the
respondents are earning to equip their vulnerable conditions.
Table 3.1
Daily Wages Classification of Sample Respondents
Wages of Salt pan women workers depending upon the different areas of the work. The
following table shows breadwinner of the salt pan women workers and daily in Thoothukudi
District
No.of
S.No Daily Wages Percentage
Respondents
1. 100 – 150 Nil -
2. 150 – 200 15 3.7
3. 200 – 250 207 51.8
4. 250 – 300 278 69.5
Total 400 100

Source: Based on field survey (2017 – 2018)

Figure 3.1
Daily Wages Classification of Sample Respondents in Percentage

100
69.5
51.8
50
0 3.7 Wages
0
Wages
100 – 150 150 – 200
200 – 250
250 – 300

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 IJEMR – March 2018 - Vol 8 Issue 03 - Online - ISSN 2249–2585 Print - ISSN 2249-8672

Table 3.1 clearly indicates that 69.5% of 278 respondents are getting wages above
Rs.250/-. and 51.8% of 207 respondents are getting wages below Rs.200/- the remaining
which shows vulnerable group has to be empowered.
Vulnerable Salt Pan Women workers in Percentage
Percentage
Category of Salt pan Daily wages area
workers
I – Most Vulnerable
Poor Earning daily wages of working
3.7 Arumuganeri Areas
conditions
II – Most Vulnerable
Average Earning of daily wages of working
51.8 In between Tuticorin Areas
conditions
III – Most Vulnerable
From Tuticorin to
Daily better earnings of working conditions 69.5
Tharavaikulam Areas

Analysis and discussion:

Women workers of salt pan in Thoothukudi has their under privileged conditions below
poverty level which will not quench the thirst of their daily basic needs of their livelihoods. It is
the reality and daily fact of the bread winner of the salt pan women workers who comes to
work very far and interior village to work. The above indicator shows the three dimensions of
the vulnerability of the salt pan women workers has to be empowered equally with high rate of
wages nearly Rs.400/-. The salt pan owners, Government and trade union has to empower the
lifes of the poor earners to balance the vulnerable conditions then can mobilize their saving
and satisfy maximum with their job as their empower the economic needs.
Conclusion:
The Salt Pan Women workers vulnerability makes them to realize their insolvent conditions to
meet their basic needs of their children and themselves. In order to bring an empowerment of
salt pan women workers and their breadwinners lives the Government has to make some
arrangement with the social welfare projects and workers welfare scheme to increase their
daily wages. Though they work hard under the scourging sun & stand in the salt and do their
works day by day there must be justice shown in the vulnerable sections of the salt pan
women workers. As the result of fare wages the women and breadwinners can have hope, self
confidence and self sufficient to withstand and empower themselves to educate their children.
In order to empower everyone’s life as they give their whole life for the important means of salt
productions. Let us also aware of their future pillars of education, health and livelihood. If the
Government takes necessary steps and shows the ways and means to empower their life then
they can have the bright future in their lives.
Reference:
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