ISBN: - 978-93-88936-09-5 Advance received by the tappers When the tappers are preferred to tapped trees in their single holdings, due to the shortage of skilled tappers are available in Kanyakumari district, the estate holders or owner of smallholdings are given advance money to the tappers for the purpose of tapping trees in their garden permanently. Additional nominal benefits like bonus, festival allowance, children education allowance, scholarship for SC/ST Candidates etc. are enjoyed by the tappers. The following table explains the details of those who receive advance money from their owner of the garden. Table 4.14 Advance yes no Total Kalkulam taluk 13 70 Advance received by the tappers Vilavancode taluk 81.4 18.6 100.0 27 23 50 54.0 46.0 100 Thovalai taluk Respondent Percentage Respondent Percentage Respondent Percentage 57 17 13 30 56.7 43.3 100.0 Source: Computed from Primary data Note: Figures in parentheses indicate the percentage to total The above table shows that whether the respondents getting advance money from the government or owner of the garden or not. Out of 150 respondents, 57 per cent of the respondents are getting advance money from the government or owner of the garden and remaining 43 per cent of the respondents are not getting advance money from the government or owner of the garden. Out of the 101 benefited tappers, 57 are in Kalkulam taluk, 27 are in Vilavancode taluk and 17 are in Thovalai taluk. Out of the 49 non-benefited tappers, 13 are in Kalkulam taluk, 23 are in Vilavancode taluk and 13 are in Thovalai taluk. Training programmes attended by the tappers To improve their quality and personality, Government has been conducting a number of training programmes to tappers through Rubber Board. One programme differs from the other. If they attend many such training programmes, it will sharpen their knowledge of tapping. Rubber Board make an arrangement for give training to the tappers. Tapping of rubber trees is not only a skilled job but also highly labour intensive. Decline in the natural rubber economy causes decline or stagnation in wage rate and reduction in the number of working days. Their wage rate is too low. Details regarding training programme attended by the tappers in Kanyakumari district listed in the table 4.15 123
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