Marchang Reimeingam
Khanrin, TKLD, Delhi, 2003
Ukhrul, dominated by
Tangkhul Naga Tribe, is the second largest district, according to the Census of
1991, with an area of 20.35 % of the total geographical area of Manipur. Only
5.95% of which 53.07% are males and 46.93% females (in 1981, 5.84% of which
52.17% males and 47.83 % females) of the total population of Manipur lives in
Ukhrul. In 1991, in Ukhrul 93.23% of the total Ukhrul population are Scheduled
Tribes (STs). About 16.12% of the State ST population are in Ukhrul district.
The density (population per sq.km.) was 24 (18 in 1981) for Ukhrul and 82 (64
in 1981) for Manipur in 1991. the annual exponential growth rates of density
for Ukhrul is 2.88% (2.48 for Manipur) in 1991. The growth rates for population
for Ukhrul was 2.76% (2.57 for Manipur) in 1991. If these rates continue then
the density growth of Ukhrul will transgress the State rate. Consequently,
people in Ukhrul might face hardship economically, socially and psychologically
due to the pressure on land coupled with the non expandable geographical area
for economic activities associated with a dearth of economic opportunities as
the community land ownership erodes.
Education, one of the social factors, determines the well-being of a society in
general and it reflects to the vital events (like births, deaths, and
marriages) and economic activities. Also, economic activities intervenes a
change in the events. Literates and educated cannot be understood in
synonymous. Literacy rate was higher in Ukhrul (62.54% in 1991 and 49.94 in
1981) than in Manipur (59.89 in 1991 and 49.66 in 1981). In 1991, Ukhrul
literacy rates was higher for both males (72.11) and females (51.57) than
Manipur males (71.63) and females (47.60). Literacy rate differential may
slightly reflects a variation in, the estimated, Female Mean Age at Marriage
for Ukhrul (20.70) and Manipur (19.40) in the year 1991; the fall in the total
fertility rate (TFR) in Ukhrul from 5.10 in 1981 to 4.62 in 1991 [for Manipur
5.20 (1981) to 3.95 (1991)]. Factors like exerted pressure from an increasing
child rearing cost, increasing female work participation rates (FWPR), education,
etc. probably induces in reduction of the rate.
In 1991,WPR in Ukhrul (47.30 for males and 44.70 for females) was higher than
in Manipur (45.30 for males and 39.00 for females). However, larger percentage
of female workers, Main Workers, are engaged in the Primary sector in Ukhrul
for 93.78 (96.83 in 1981) than in Manipur for 76.50 (70.75 in 1981). It implies
that a growth in literacy level does not commensurate with the rate of
participation in non- agricultural activities since only 6.22% (3.17 in 1981)
females workers are in Secondary plus Tertiary sectors [it was 23.50 (29.25 in
1981) for Manipur]. However the percentage of male workers in primary sector
was lesser in Ukhrul (63.64) than in Manipur (65.40) but in 1981 the percentage
was conversed (69.93 for Ukhrul and 68.76 for Manipur). Greater number of WPR
for females than male in primary sector may be due to the incapability and/ or
reluctance to participate in other sector, dependence on males, etc. The TFR
differential between Ukhrul and the State might be attributed by the variations
in WPR. In Ukhrul, 36.36%, 30.07 in 1981, (34.60 for 1991 and 31.24 in 1981 for
Manipur) of male main workers are in non-primary sectors and for females 6.22
(3.17 in 1981) in Ukhrul whereas it was 23.50 (29.25 in 1981) for the State.
The fall of females work participation in the State in non-primary sectors may
be due to the inability to compete the males for job opportunities. Most
probably, FWPR in non-primary sectors influences in the fertility behavior when
we compared the figures of females in the non-primary sectors. So, in case of
Manipur with special reference to Ukhrul District, work participation in
non-primary sector probably influences more than the level of literacy in
fertility behavior. Since literacy accounts only for the ability to read and
write but non-primary sectors work participation at great extent may determines
the difficulty in child up-bringing where quality is trade-off to quantity for
greater future income. In primary sector, particularly in agriculture, all
family members can contribute their labour as agriculturist in income
generation irrespective of age and sex unlike in secondary or tertiary sector
where work are to be confined within some specific time frame and age associated
with the burden in parenting.
Child Mortality Rate (CMR), below age five, perhaps influences the fertility
rate. In Ukhrul, the CMR for males was 57 in 1991 (73 in 1981) and for females
it was 52 in 1991 (96 in 1981) compared to Manipur rate 37 in 1991 (51 in 1981)
for males and 43 in 1991 (50 in 1981) for females. Higher the CMR, higher will
be the desire to have more children, for security or substitute, with an
expectation that some child may die at their childhood age. CMR may be affected
by the accessibility of basic health care facilities, ignorance, environment or
poor economic conditions, etc. In short, reduction of CMR and increase in
non-primary sectors activities may reduces TFR along with higher education (not
mere literate). Higher the educated composition there will be a sectoral
transformation of economic activities from primary to non-primary sectors
provided wide avenues are available, economic differentials can be bridged,
quality will be preferred than quantity, fertility will be reduced・ as a result the pace of development may be enhanced.
When we talk of development, Ukhrul is one of the underdeveloped areas where
majority of the workers are engaged in primary sector (77.16% in 1991 and
82.95% in 1981 in Ukhrul and 70.00% in1991 and 69.60 in 1981 in Manipur)
producing for subsistence with little or no surplus for sell to spend for
non-food items and no or little savings for investment. Though the percentage
share of workers in tertiary sector is higher in Ukhrul (21.16 in 1991 and
15.73 in 1981) than in Manipur (20.34 in 1991 and 17.05 in 1981), most of them
might be living from hand to mouth with little savings due to their large
family size with low income.
Aptly, many of them are inaccessible to bank accounts attributed by an
inadequacy or lack of bank establishment or ignorance of the bank facilities
coupled with an inefficient, in creation of public awareness banks employees or
administrators. The culture of bank accounts bearings are not widespread even
among the fixed income earners or salaried persons. Factors responsible are
inability to save or nonavailability of the facility or opting for syndication
or indebtedness. Therefore, left with meagre amount for small savings for
security or investment people lend up spending in durable goods or lavish
expenditures.Morever,earnings, for common man, mainly serves for square meals
or daily basic needs so immigrants should not manipulate these goods. If we
control these goods our income mostly spending on these items might circulate
within us. The relationship between the buyers and the dealers (among us)
should be developed better than the existing relationships with the outside
dealers.
These expenditures does not circulates within our community economy because the
state of living shows not much rise. This money goes to few pockets of
inmigrants are being enriched by our society. It is high time to be conscious
among us so that our hard earned money does not out-flow. Demonstration effect
(imitations of others consumptions behaviors) is widespread in our society.
Retrenchment of expenditure are not involved even if earnings increases for
saving and investment for more future returns. And even if earning remains the
same, going for cheaper commodities are uncommon. Priority seems to be given
for products which are exorbitant in price which may lead to indebtedness.
Weak purchasing power, lack of capital and opportunities hinders transformation
of economic activities. Thus, the structure of occupation is less transformed
with the persisting low productivity where we still suffer from certain major
social and economic evils. The economic position of the common man would appear
to be still gloomier.
The structural pattern of employment may depict the avenues of economic
activities. Concentration of workers in primary sector tells the inability to
absorb or accommodate in non-primary sectors. Primary sector workers in the
region are subsistence producers which results in weak purchasing power.
In 1991, in Ukhrul the percentage share of households having electricity, which
is one of the determining factors of modern economic activities, was only
32.55% whereas it was 42.37% for Manipur. This is an indication of an
inadequacy, inefficiency and a discrepancy in rural electrification. The
implication is that less household industries are concentrated in the rural
(Ukhrul) areas. For development of secondary sector electricity which can link
backward or forward to primary sector or tertiary sector respectively, is essential.
Primary activities predominates our economy particularly agriculture where
shifting, jhumming or slash and burn, cultivation is practiced which affects to
the natural environment like endangerment of wild life, soil erosion, lowering
of water level which will hamper in the livelihood of highlanders, rise in
temperature and air pollution, etc. Apart from these effects the beauty of
nature is distorted. The dependence on forest products especially on trees can
be acknowledged by the used of wood as a fuel for cooking by households in
Ukhrul (98.20% in 1991) and in Manipur (61.50%in 1991) as a whole.
In short, quality population for well being with high income of diversified
economic pursuits is crucial as the pressure on land increases associated with
the slow evolution of private land ownership. It is envisage that the generated
income circulated within our economy, enlargement of saving by the reduction in
imitation of others consumption behavior, motivation and encouragement to both
consumers and sellers within our community be developed so that whatever spent
are retained, preferably among us. Structural occupational changes is a
must for reduction on forest dependence and to generate non-agricultural income
for preserving forest and raising income.
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For citation: Marchang Reimeingam, Ukhrul: Socio-economic Profile, Khanrin, TKLD, Delhi, 2003.
