National
Highways.—The National Highways are
the main highways running through the length and breadth of the country,
connecting ports, foreign highways, capitals of states, large towns and
industrial areas. These are constructed and maintained by the State Public
Works Department out of the funds provided by the Central Government. The total
length of the National Highways passing through the district is 79 km. The
National Highways passing through the district are : National Highway No. 1,
viz. Sher Shah Suri Marg (from Haryana Border to Amritsar and on the
Indo-Pakistan Border near Wagha) passes through Rajpura, Sirhind and Gobindgarh
towns of the district and National Highways No. 22 (Ambala-Kalka-Shimla-Tibet
Road) passes through Lalru and Dera Bassi town in Rajpura Tehsil of the
district.
State
Highways.—These are main roads of
the State and are generally connected to the National Highways or to the
highways of the neighbouring State, district headquarters, important cities,
etc. These are constructed and maintained by the Pubic Works Department of the
State. The total length of State Highways in the district on 31 March 1989 was
221 km. The following five State Highways traverse through the district :-
State Highway No. 8 Pehowa-Bhuner Heri-Patiala
State Highway No. 9 Bassi-Naraingarh
State Highway No.10
Chandigarh (Dakauli)-Rajpura-Patiala-Patran-Tohana-Hisar
State Highway No.11 Ludhiana-Sangrur-Patran-Bathinda
Major
District Roads.—These roads connect the
areas of production and markets with each other and also with highways and
railways. In fact, these roads provide hauling service even into the heart of
rural areas throughout the State. These are also constructed and maintained by
PWD (B & R). On 31 March 1989, the total length of such roads in the
district was 151 km.
Village
Roads.—All the villages in the
district are connected with one another by approach roads by one way or the
other. Such roads which connect villages, nearest main roads, markets, etc. are
known as village approach roads. These were previously constructed by the
efforts of the people of concerned villages or on matching grant basis. The
funds for the construction of these roads were made available by the Government
through Zila Parishad, Patiala. The maintenance of these roads was also done by
the Zila Parishad, Patiala, which has now been transferred to State Public
Works Department. The total length of these roads in the district, on 31 March
1989, was 3,137 km.
(ii)
Vehicles and Conveyances
In the ancient times,
bullock-drawn i.e. carts and horse/camel-drawn carts were used as means of
conveyance. In the populous areas/localities of the cities or main
bazars/markets for short distances to carry loads and articles, thelas were used.
With the passage of time,
the quality of roads improved and side by side, improved vehicles came to ply
on them. In the urban areas, these means of conveyance have become out of date
and fully replaced by motor vehicles. However, ekkas/tongas in urban areas and
bullock and horse-carts in the rural areas are still used.
The different means of conveyance available in the district comprise
rehris, donkey, camel and horse-carts (rehras), bullock-carts, tongas/ekkas, bicycles,
rickshaws, mopeds, moto-cycles, scooters, jeeps, station wagons, cars, buses,
trucks, tractors, tempos (three-wheeled motor transport), light commercial
vehicles, etc. The use of bicycle and moped as conveyance has become very
popular in the urban as well as in the countryside. The rickshaws also hold
much importance in the urban areas because these are cheaper means of
conveyance and common people can get their lift easily. Motor vehicles and
scooters for local conveyance is a feature of post-Independence period.
Automobiles.—The automobiles have become common means of
travel, transportation of goods for short as well as long distances. These
include motor cycles, scooters, mopeds, three-wheelers, jeeps, motor cars,
taxis, mini-buses, buses, mini-trucks, tractors, auto-rickshaws, etc. The
number of different types of motor vehicles registered in the district, on 31
March 1989, is given in Appendix I at page 259.
Bicycles.—With the improvement and extension of roads and the
indigenous cycle industry, cycles are being used as extensively in villages and
in towns. It is a cheaper means of conveyance and easier to maintain. A man in
the street can buy easily and use it. It can be used in narrow streets and
field tracks where space covering vehicle’s approach is not possible. It
increases the mobility of the labour. The villagers bring vegetables, milk and
other agricultural produce to urban markets on cycles. The people who sell
vegetables, fruits and other commodities in the villages use cycle for carrying
these commodities.
Cycle-Rickshaws.—The use of this conveyance is generally confined
to urban areas, but its use cannot be denied in rural areas where the motor
buses are either not plying or the availability of bus service is after a long
gap of time. It is a cheep, convenient and easy type of conveyance. Much space
is not required for its plying and it can pass through the narrow lanes and can
reach in the interior of the populous localities. On the other hand, its carrying
capacity is two passengers and is cheaper to hire. The use of ekka and tonga
has generally been replaced by it. The use of rickshaws has become popular
because its service has been extended from towns to adjoining villages on
account of the construction of link roads. The Government is also encouraging
this profession so that the poor men may be able to make their both ends meet.
The persons who are physically fit and are between the age of 18 to 45 years
can ply this vehicle according to the bye-laws framed by the State Government.
The banks are also liberal in advancing loans to such people under the Punjab
Cycle Rickshaw (Regulation of Licence) Act, 1976. Licences are issued to the
owners only.
Horse-Carriages.—The use of bullock-carts in the urban areas as
well as in the rural areas has mostly been replaced by horse-carts (rehras). It
is pulled by one horse and carries less load than that of bullock-cart. But it
is comparatively faster means of transport. It is useful for carrying load for
short distances. In the villages, the farmers and shopkeepers who are not in a
position to buy heavy load carrying vehicles (trolley, trucks) have maintained
horse-carts. The farmers transport/carry seeds to the fields, grain and fodder
to the markets from their fields and labourers from the labour colonies to
their fields for sowing, weeding, reaping/harvesting crops and vice-versa. The
shopkeepers use these carts to carry their commodities from cities to villages,
etc. In urban areas, it is mostly used to carry cement to building construction
sites. The major factor of their survival is that their carrying charges are
quite reasonable and within the reach of the common men.
(iii) Public and Private Transport
Till June 1969, the
Provincial Transport Controller headed the Transport Department and was
responsible for the enforcement of Motor Vehicles Act and the rules framed
thereunder. The commercial wing of the department also functioned under his
control. In order to give equal justice to the private operators and State
owned transport, the Transport, the Transport Department was bifurcated in June
1969, into two wings viz. Commercial Wing and Non-commercial Wing. The former,
known as Punjab Roadways, was placed under the control of the Director, State
Transport, Punjab and the latter under the State Transport Commissioner,
Punjab, as Head of the Department. The Director, State Transport, being overall
incharge of the Commercial Wing, is concerned with the development and
operation of State Transport buses on commercial basis. The State Transport
Commissioner is concerned with the issuing of route permits, enforcement of the
Motor Vehicles Act and the rules framed thereunder, grant of route permits for
stage carriers to both public and private operators and for public carriers,
tempos, taxis, etc.
Before the Independence,
road transport in the district was only in the hands of private owners, who
were interested only in large profits and seldom cared for the convenience of
the passengers. Keeping in view the difficulties faced by the people, the
policy of nationalisation of passenger transport was adopted by the erstwhile
PEPSU Government as early as February 1949. The arrangements for the
implementation of this policy could be completed only by September 1954. In the
meantime, the provisions of the Road Transport Corporation Act, 1950 were
extended to the State by the Government of India with effect from 10 March 1955
and the State Transport Corporation came into being. The latter took over the
Pepsu Roadways in 1956. With the merger of PEPSU with Punjab, the Corporation
was constituted with Secretary to Government, Punjab, Transport Department as
its Chairman, and the Finance Secretary, Directory of Industries, Provincial
Transport Controller, Punjab, and the Chief Commercial Superintendent, Northern
Railway, as members. The Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation is the
General Manager who also works as its non-Member Secretary. This is t(he only
Corporation of its kind in the State and covers far-flung territory.With the
increase in the network of roads and industrialisation, both passenger and
goods transport has considerably increased. Therefore, the Government have
started gradual and progressive nationalisation of passenger transport. At
present, there is a partial nationalisation of passenger transport service in
the State and 60:40 scheme is in operation. Under this scheme, all further
operation on the existing local routes not exceeding 16 km as well as monoply
routes shall be undertaken exclusively by the Punjab Roadways and Pepsu Road
Transport Corporation. The goods transport is only handled by the private
operators in the district.State Owned Services. –The State Owned Service, Pepsu
Roadways was started in 1955 with a fleet of 12 buses. It covered 9 routes to begin
with. In 1962-63, it covered 9 routes to begin with. In 1962-63, it was running
56 routes with a fleet of 187 buses which rose to 1,055 buses in 1985-86. The
routes operated by the Pepsu Road
Transport Corporation Patiala Depot I and II on 31 March 1989 have been given
in Appendix II at the end of this Chapter at pages 260-265.Private Bus
Services.—The bus routes in the district operated by the private transport
companies (company-wise) on 31 March 1989 have been given in Appendix II at
pages 266-2.
Goods
Transport by Road.—The goods transport in the
district is still handled by the private owners and it is not much
rationalised. The system of booking agencies has developed which caters to the
needs of both the operators and the traders. The operators are provided with
parking facilities. The traders get satisfactory service through goods
transport agencies. The private goods transport agencies/companies have
organised themselves to reduce competition, to regulate traffic and to share
profits.
The Patiala District is in
the jurisdiction of Delhi Division of Northern Railway and is served fairly
well with railway lines. Four railway lines pass through the district, viz.
Ambala-Kalka line, Delhi-Amritsar line, Rajpura-Bathinda line and Sirhind-Rupnagar
line. The Ambala-Kalkaline passes through Rajpura Tahsil and serves the
north-eastern portion of the district. The railway stations falling on this
line are Lalru, Dappar and Ghaggar. The Delhi-Amritsar line passes through
Rajpura and Sirhind Tahsils. The railway stations falling on this line are
Mandi-Gobindgarh, Sirhind, Sadhugarh, Sarai Banjara, Rajpura, and Shambu. The
Rajpura-Bathindra line runs through Patiala and Nabha tahsils and serves
Chhitanwala, Kairala, Nabha, Kalhe Majra halt, Dhablan, Patiala Cantt. halt,
Patiala, Daunkalan, Kauli and Rajpura stations, The Sirhind-Rupnagar line
serves the northern portion of Sirhind Tahsil and Noganwan, Bassi Pathana,
Fatehgarh Sahib and Sirhind stations are located on this line.
Rail-Road
Competition.—Every means of transport
has its own sphere of economic service and limitation. Before the advent of the
motor transport in the beginning of the twentieth century, the railways enjoyed
full monopoly in long distance traffic. The road development was seriously
retarded during the second half of the nineteeth century as roads were
considered to be unprofitable. But the position changed altogether after the
World War I (1914-18), when mechanical road haulage became popular throughout
the country. A large number of motor-buses began to ply on the roads and
actively competed with railways for short distance passenger traffic. The
motor-buses could afford to carry goods at a cheap rate, because they had to
pay nothing for the construction or maintenance of the highways. Their cost was
also less per kilometre than that of the railways. It is said to be
‘door-to-door’ service and is best suited to certain types of commodities such
as eggs, vegetables and dairy products, which must be speedly despatched to the
nearby markets in good condition to fetch high prices. Therefore, with the
development of motor transport after 1920, the railways began to lose
financially owing to this unhealthy competition. The Railway Board Report of
1926-27 pointed out that the Indian Railways had begun to feel the pressure of
competition from motor vehicles.
The competition between the
railways and road transport has been more acute than the competition between
other forms of transport. The financial loss of railways increased especially during
the period of world-wide trade depression of 1929. The Government of India
appointed in 1933 the Mitchell-Kirkness Committee to study the problem and make
suggestions for improving the situation. The committee recommended a strict
regulation of road traffic to eliminate competition. In 1937, the Wedge-wood
Committee also recommended the protection of railways against unfair
competition from road transport by controlling, supervising, regulating and
licensing of motor vehicles. In 1939, Motor Vehicle Act was passed for
regulating motor transport. During the Second World War (1939-45), there was
practically no rail-road competition. In 1950, the Government appointed Motor
Vehicles Taxation Enquiry Commission, which recommended the imposition of taxes
on motor vehicles. Consequently, the rail-road competition was reduced due to
heavy taxation imposed on road vehicles. However, the vast development of
agriculture and industry in the country and consequent increase in traffic, the
rail-road competition has become a thing of the past and the two systems of
transport have become complementary rather than competitive.
(d)
Waterways, Ferries and Bridges
A Civil Aviation Club has
been functioning at Patiala since 1962. It is maintaining a small aerodrome.
The nearest civil airport from Patiala is Chandigarh at a distrance of 70 Km.
From there, regular air service is available to New Delhi, Amritsar, Jammu and
Srinagar and in summer, to Leh and Kulu.
(f)
Travel and Tourist Facilities
The State Government is making serious efforts to develop tourist
facilities at the existing places with a view to ensuring that the available
potential for the growth of the tourist industry is fully exploited. Two
tourist sports, viz. Floating Restaurant, Sirhind and Maulsari Tourist Complex
Aam Khas Bagh, Sirhind have been developed for tourist attraction. At Floating
Restaurant, facilities like night stay, snacks and drinks are available for the
tourists. This unique restaurant is floating in the Bhakhra Main Line Canal.
The Aam Khas Bagh was the residence of the local Governor during the Mughal
period. It was an extensive garden walled from all sides and contained fine
buildings, some of which even stand today. One of these buildings is now used
as rest-house. The State Horticulture Department maintains a fruit garden and
nursery here. The State Tourism Development Corporation has converted it into
beautiful tourist resort. Water flowing through drains and fountains is a
welcome sight for the tourists. Tea, coffee, snacks and cold drinks are
available to the tourists.
There are a number of
restaurants and hotels in the urban areas in the district. In some of the
hotels, lodging facilities are also available. Besides, there are a number of dharamshalas
and serais in the district for the travellers, tourists and visitors.
Gurudwaras in the urban as well as in rural areas provide free boarding and
lodging to the visitors.
Rest Houses.—These are maintained by various departments of
Government for the use of their employees while on official tour to the
districts. However, when available these might be utilised by members of the
public (for private occupation) on prescribed rent which is higher than that
chargeable from the Government officials on tour. A list of rest houses in the
district is given in Appendix IV, on pages 288-290.
(g)
Post, Telegraphs and Telephones
Originally, the postal
arrangements in the Patiala State were confined to the conveyance of official
communications which were carried by sowars and harkaras retained
in the various sadr offices and no facilities were offered to the public for
the exchange of their private correspondence. In 1860, in the reign of Maharaja
Narinder Singh, the postal system was organised under the control of the munshikhana
(Foreign office). Runners’ lines were laid between various thanas and
the public allowed to post letters at these thanas. A special officer on
a salary of Rs. 30 per mensem was appointed by the munshikhana as munsarim
of the postal arrangements. The postal service was given out on contract. The
contractor made arrangement of delivery of dak by appointing runners and sarbarahs
or overseers. All postal articles were handed over to the runners, who were responsible
to the Deputy Superintendents of Police. These officials received the money
paid for the postage from the runners, and remitted it monthly to the treasury,
where the balance, after paying the amount due by contract to the State, was
handed over to the contractor. Postal articles for British India were
despatched to the British Post Office by paying the usual rates and vice versa.
There were no facilities for money orders, insurance, or other minor branches
of postal business. In 1900, a mutual exchange of correspondence, parcels,
money orders and Indian postal notes was established between the Imperial Post
Office and the Patiala State Post Office. By an agreement on 14 August 1872,
the British Government agreed to construct for the state a single line of wires
from Ambala to Rajpura and thence to Patiala at a cost of Rs. 15,500, the
Maharaja agreeing to pay the actual cost of construction and of the maintenance
of the line and the office at Patiala.
Post offices in the Patiala
District are under the control of the Senior Superintendent, Post Offices,
Patiala Division, Patiala, who assists the Director Postal Services, Punjab and
Union Territory, Chandigarh. To provide postal facilities to the public, letter
boxes have been arranged at suitable places in the towns which are cleared at
fixed intervals once or twice a day. All the villages of the Patiala District
have been covered under daily dak delivery system. The list of post offices
functioning in the district is given in Appendix V on pages 291-301.
The Postal Index Number
(PIN)* Code was introduced in the country on 15 August 1972. It is a six digit
code that identifies and locates every departmental delivery service. It
provides with a built-in-routing information for postal sorting and quick delivery
of the post. The Pin Code of Patiala is 147 001.
Telegraphs.—The district is served by a good number of
combined post and telegraph offices. There are two TP/Morse offices, 10 Morse sub-offices
and 35 Phono-cum-sub-offices and 7 extra departmental sub-offices in the
district. There is prompt delivery of telegrams in the district. On 31 March
1989, telegraph facility was available in 54 post offices (7 rural combined
offices have not been included in the list) in the Patiala District as given in
Appendix VI at pages 302-303.
Telephones.—Patiala SSA covers the Revenue District Patiala
except the Dera Bassi Block of tahsil Rajpura. The SSA was upgraded to the
level of junior Administrative Grade during April 1989. The important places in
the SSA are Patiala, Rajpura, Mandi Gobindgarh, Nabha, Sirhind, Samana and
Patran. There is no such industry in the district except at Rajpura, Mandi
Gobindgarh and few industries at Nabha. There are 47 telephone exchanges in
this SSA as given below :
Amloh Devigarh Nogawan, Ajrawar Gajjukhera Nabha, Ajnoda Ghanour Patiala Banur
Ghagga Punjabi University, Patiala Basantpura Gajewas Patran Bassi Pathana Galwali Rajpura
Bhumarsi Buland Hussainpura Rampur Bhuner Heri Jakhwali Nobad Balbera Kaidpur Rakhra
Badali Kauli Salana Bhadson Khanewal Sanaur Koulgarh Bakshiwala Khanoun Sirhind Badshapur
Mandi Gobindgarh Samana Chinarthal
Kalan Nabipur Shera Shri Chintawala Nandpur
Kalour Shambu
Dakala Nandpur Kesho
*The first digit represents the zone, the second the
sub-zone and the routing, the third digit ‘PIN’ points the routing district and
the last three digits indicate the specific post office included in that
sorting district.
STD PCO’s are working at
Patiala, Rajpura, Sirhind and Mandi Gobindgarh for the use of public. These are
under the control of Telecom District Manager, Patiala. The total number of
connections provided by these exchanges as on 31 March 1990 were 18,217.
Radios and
Televisions.—There is no radio broad-casting or television station in the
district. The number of radio and television owners have however, increased
substantially in the recent years. The actual number of radio and television
sets in the district is not available, as the radios/transistors of all bands
and television sets have been exempted from licence.
(h) Organizations of Owners and Employees in the
Field of Transport and Communications
The transport owners and
workers/employees of transport companies/departments do not have any registered
organization in the district. Transport workers/employees have, however, formed
Unions to look after their interests. The particulars of these unions
functioning in the district, as on 31 March 1989, are given below :
|
SN |
Name of the Union |
Date of Registration |
|
1.
|
Guru Nanak Khachar Rehra Union
Village
Branch Patti, Post Office Kotvanpur Tansil Samana, District Patiala |
26 December 1985 |
|
2.
|
Punjab Tonga Mazdoor Union,
Devigarh C/o B M S Chowk Arya Samaj, Patiala |
20 March 1986 |
|
3.
|
Rickshaw Mazdoor Association,
Rajpura |
26 June 1986 |
|
4.
|
Rajpura Rickshaw Wahak Mazdoor
Union Rajpura |
21 October 1986 |
|
5.
|
Four Wheelers Tempo Owner’s Union
Dera Bassi |
20 January 1987 |
|
6.
|
The Cartmen Union, Patiala |
25 May 1987 |
|
7.
|
Patiala Auto Rickshaw Chalak Union
Rajpura |
19 June, 1987 |
|
8.
|
The Half-Body Truck Operators’
Union, Dhakoli (Patiala) |
16 November 1987 |
|
9.
|
Shehri Rehra Mazdoor Sangh, Rajpura |
23 November 1987 |
|
10.
|
Super Speed Transport Union,
Sirhind |
4 April 1988 |
|
11.
|
The Malwa Tempo Operators’ Union Samania
Gate, Patiala |
9 June 1988 |
|
12.
|
Guru Nanak Tempo Drivers’ Union Bahadurgarh
(Patiala) |
21 November 1988 |
|
13.
|
Truck Drivers’ Union, B M S Arya
Samaj Chowk, Patiala |
9 December 1988 |
|
14.
|
Truck Drivers’ Union, Patran |
20 December 1988 |
(Source : Labour
Commissioner, Punjab Chandigarh)
|
|
|
|
There are certain means of
livelihood which come neither directly under the purview of major sectors of
economy, viz. Agriculture, industry, trade and transport, but provide
livelihood to a majority of the population. The people falling under these
professions are engaged in earning that livelihood on a self employed basis.
Either they work in their own houses or in shops run by themselves or, they go
about on foot or on bicycles hawking their goods. These occupations also
include persons, working as domestic servants. A brief account of certain
selected miscellaneous occupations, not mentioned elsewhere in this Gazetteer,
is given in this chapter. The data pertaining to the sections ‘Miscellaneous
Occupations’ and Personal and Domestic Services’ is not available with the
Census Department and it has been collected from the municipal committees
functioning in the district.
Central, State and Local Government Services.—After the Independence, there has been a considerable increase in the
number of jobs in public services under the State and Central Governments,
local bodies and quasi-government organizations. With the increase in the
population, the Central and State Governments have taken up various
schemes/projects for the welfare of the people. The expansion in the
development activities of the Government led to the creation of several new
departments. As a result of this expansion, the number of persons entering in Government
services is also increasing. As on 31 March 1989, there were 34,927 Punjab
Government employees in the Patiala District, as compared to 21,153 on 31 March
1981. Besides, a good number of employees were working in the Central
Government and quasi-governmÀent offices in the district.More and more people
are now opting for Government service, because it is relatively secure.
Moreover, it provides various benefits, such as family pension on death,
pension on retirement, gratuity, general provident fund, medical reimbursement,
casual and earned leave, etc. Female Government employees are entitled to
maternity leave upto 180 days. Loans are advanced by the Government to its
employees for the purchase of vehicles and for the purchase/construction of houses.
Residential accommodation to the extent available is also provided to the
employees. The State Government has been allowing financial relief to its
employees so as to bring them on par with the Central Government employees in
regard to grant of dearness allowance and other benefits. Free liveries are
provided to Class IV employees. The Central as well as State Government
employees are entitled to avail themselves of Leave Travel Concession alongwith
members of their family to visit any place in the country in a block of four
years.The Group Insurance Scheme was introduced for all State Government
employees in 1982. Under this scheme, each employee contributes fixed Amount
per month which is deducted from his pay. Provisions have been made to pay
fixed insurance amount2 to the family of the employee who dies while in service1 .Rs 120 for
Css I, Rs 60 for Class II, Rs 30 for Class III, Rs 15 for Class IV employees.
Insurance amount is Rs
1,20,000, 60,000, 30,000 and 15,000 for Class I, Class II, Class III and Class
IV employees, respectively
Public
Employees’ Organisations.—The
following public employees organizations which exist in the district have been
formed by the employees to look after their interests :
1. Oriental Bank Employees’ Union, Northern Region, Patiala
2. State Bank of Patiala Officer’s Association, Patiala
3. All India Oriental Bank Employees’ Federation, Patiala
4. State Bank of Patiala Employees’ Union, Patiala
5. State Bank of Patiala Class IV Employees’ Union, Patiala
6. State Bank of Patiala Staff Association, Patiala
7. All India State Bank of Patiala Officers’ Association,
Patiala
8. All India Punjab & Sind Bank Officers’ Federation,
Patiala
9. Punjab & Sind Bank Staff Organisation, Patiala
10. Punjab & Sind Bank Officers’ Federation, Patiala
11. Bank of Baroda Officers’ Union (North Zone), Patiala
12. N I S IV Class Employees’ Union, Patiala
13. Horticulture Fourth Class Employees’ Union, Patiala
14. Punjab Government Press Workers’ Union, Patiala
15. Punjab Balwari Workers’ Union, Lalru, District Patiala
16. Punjabi University Ministerial Staff Association, Punjabi
University Camp, Patiala
17. Punjab Raj Bijli Board Karmchari Union, Patiala
18. Punjab State Board Workers’ Welfare Union, Patiala
19. P S E B Board Employees’ Federation, Patiala
20. P S E B Power Line Communications staff Association, Punjab, Patiala
21. P S E B Board A M I E Engineering Association, Patiala
22. P S E B Driver, Operator Union, Patiala
23. P S E B Accounts, Audit Administrative Services Association,
Patiala
24. P S E B Class IV Workers’ Union, Patiala
25. United P W D Technical Employees’ Union, Rajpura
26. Punjab P W D, (B &
R) Mechanical Association, Mechanical Subdivision, PWD, ( B & R), Patiala
27. Punjab Para Medical Staff
Association, P S E B Patiala
28. Technical Employee’ Union, Patiala
29. Punjab State Tubewell Employee’ Union, Patiala
30. P R T C Employees’ Union, Patiala
31. P R T C Supervisory Staff Association, Patiala
32. Punjab Aviation Employees’ Union, Patiala
33. Punjab State Co-operative Land Mortgage Progress Employees’
Association, Patiala
34. Patiala Central Co-operative Bank Field Staff Union, Patiala
35. Fourth Class Employees’ Union, Patiala
36. Municipal Employees’ Union, Patiala
37. Octroi Employees’ Union, Rajpura
38. Municipal Employees’ Union, Gobindgarh
39. Municipal Employees’ Union, Patiala
40. Samana Municipal Employees’ Union, Samana
41. Municipal Employees’ Union, Bassi Pathana
42. F C I Watch Ward Employees’ Union, Patiala
43. Food Corporation of India Employees’ Congress, Patiala
44. P S E B Draftsman Association, Patiala
45. Municipal Employees’ Association, Patiala
46. P S E B Cashier Union, Patiala
47. Punjabi University Technical Employees’ Union, Patiala
48. Punjab Tourism Development Corporation Limited, Karmchari Dal,
Patiala
49. Water Supply and Sewerage Board Karmchari Sangh, Rajpura
50. Co-operative Employees’ Union, Rajpura
51. Punjab Power Employees’ Union, Patiala
52. Punjab State Warehousing Corportion Employees’ Union, Patiala
53. Punjab Raj Bizli Board Karmchari Dal, Patiala
54. Chungi Karmchari Sangh Nagar Palika, Rajpura
55. Octroi Employees’ Municipal Committee, Rajpura
56. Municipal Employees’ Union, Banur
57. Patiala Co-operative Societies Union, Patiala
58. Fourth Class Civilian Defence Employees’ Union, Patiala
59. Punjab Operation Theatre Assistant Supervisors’ Union, Patiala
60. Hospital Workers’ Union, Patiala
61. Technical Workers’ Union, Milk Plant, Patiala
(Source : Labour
Commissioner, Punjab, Chandigarh)
Teachers, medical
practitioners, advocates, engineers, architects, journalists, etc. can bradly
begrouped under this category. They have a good educational background and
specialisation in their respective fields. They have their own separate
organisations which strive for their common interests.
Teaching Profession.—Due to the
expansion and quantitative development of educational activities, there has
been a remarkable increase in the number of persons engaged in this profession.
This profession includes professors, lecturers, teachers and research workers.
They are employed in the Punjabi University, Patiala and colleges, schools and
other educational institutions functioning in the district. As on 30 September
1989, there were 9,745 teachers in the district. Out of these, 9,745 teachers
(4,418 males and 5,327 females) were working in 1,622 recognised schools of all
categories in the district. Besides, a large number of persons were working as
professors, lecturers, research workers in the University and various colleges
functioning in the district. The persons enagaged in the teaching profession
are much respected by the people. They are also well paid now. For sometime
past, the number of women teachers is on the increase.
Medical Profession.—It is a
lucrative and prosperous profession and an increasing number of persons aspire
to get themselves qualified for it. This profession includes physicians,
surgeons, ayurvedic and homoeopathic doctors, dentists, ophthamologiests,
nurses, midwives, vaccinators, compounders, vaids, hakims, etc. working in
various hospitals and dispensaries in the district. Doctors are also running
their private clinics and nursing homes.
On 31 March 1989, 2,130 doctors, 724 nurses and 2,483 dais were working
in 198 allopathic medical institutions in the district. Besides, 50
vaids/hakims, 50 up-vaids/dispensers and 50 trained dais were also working in
50 Ayurvedic/Unani medical institutions. The para-medical staff working in the
Government Medical College, Patiala and Government Ayurvedic College, Patiala
has not been inluded.
Legal Profession.—This is also a
very prosperous profession. There is an increasing tendency among the people to
study law and adopt this profession. These services include judges, barristers,
advocates, pleaders, munshis, etc. Due to increase in litigation, this
profession has attracted a good number of persons during the recent years.
Besides, a number of law graduates are employed in various departments of the
Government. On 31March 1989, there were 5 bar Associations functioning in the
district, one each at Patiala, Rajpura, Fatehgarh Sahib, Nabha ans Samana.
Engineering Service.—People are also
adopting engineering as a professional, because it is highly technical in nature
and well paid. Engineers are enagaged by the Governement in the Public Works
Department, Building and Roads, Public Health and Irrigation, and Electrical
Engineers by the Punjab State Electricity Board. Details of the persons
employed in engineering services in various Government Departments have been
given in Chapter XIII ‘Other Departments’. Besides, a good number of persons
have adopted this profession as contractors and architects or consulting
engineers.
(c) Personal and Domestic Service
These services include barbers, washermen, launderers, tailors,
water-carriers, weavers, cobblers, carpenters and the like which employ a
number of persons. There is a considerable change in the mode of their working.
Though the number of persons in these services has decreased, yet these are
essential services and many persons get employment in these.
Barbers.—The hair dressing and hair cutting services are
rendered by the barbers, hair dressers, and beauticians. The nature of this
system which was in vogue in the past has absolutely changed. Earlier in rural
areas, the barber used to render services to the villagers on regular basis on
a sort of contract for which he was paid in kind at the time of harvest. He had
a main role in marriages and other such ceremonies. He generally acted as
messenger from bride’s family to bridgeroom’s family and vice versa. The rain
(barber’s wife) who used to render here services in looking after the bride in
marriage is still in vogue in rural areas. She can still be seen in extending
invitations and helping the family during marriages and other functions.
In urban areas, the old practice of family barbers is now extinct and
people pay in cash for their service at home or in hair cutting saloons. The
hair dressing saloons/shops are becoming very popular in towns of the district.
These are equipped with modern tools and instruments for hair cutting and
dressing. The barbers in urban areas have their unions who enjoin upon its
members to follow regulations about charges for their services and other
matters. The rates of hair cuttings and hair dressing vary from place to place.
Generally, the barbers charge Rs 2 to 5 for a hair cut, Rs 1 to 2 for a shave
and Rs 15 to 25 for hair dressing. The barbers and hair dressers, etc.
functioning in municipal areas of the district were 642.
Washermen.—Washermen and dhobis form an important
occupations class in the society. This service in these days include dhobis
(washermen), launderers, dry-cleaners and dyers. With the growth of
urbanization, washing of clothes turned out to be a commercial proposition and
led to the establishment of laundries in towns as well as in big villages. The
work of washerman has been adversely affected by the laundries. Although the
charges of laundaries are higher, their services are prompt and efficient than
the washerman. Generally, the laundries employ washermen for washing and
ironing of clothes. The washing charges vary from Rs 1 to Rs 2 per piece and pressing from 30-50 paisa per piece.
These laundries switch over to dry-cleaning in winter. There are a number of
exclusive dry-cleaning shops in the towns. Most of them have set up modern
dry-cleaning plants. Their charges vary from Rs 12 to 15 for dry-cleaning of a
woollen/terylene suit. The number of pressers, launderers, dry-cleaners
functioning in the municipal areas of the district was 298. attire it according to its taste and fashion. This
occupation includes the services of tailors dress makers, sewers, cutters and
related workers. It has flourished to a great extent in urban areas because the
people of the cities are generally affected by the new fashion. The other
reasons for its flourishing are that it is a paying profession and there is no
social bar for its adoption. Well-to-do persons, high income professionals and
college students generally prefer to wear quality stitched clothes and the
services of expert tailors even if they have to pay more.
Most of the tailors have their own sewing machines and work
independently. There are also some big tailoring concerns which get the work
done on commission basis. In the rural areas, the old practice of darzi
(tailor) going to different houses for stitching the clothes does not exist,
except on occasion of marriages, etc.
The total number of tailors,
cutters and related workers functioning in the municipal areas of the district
was 1,651.