There are many stories and poems written on the life of the great and famous man. From time immemorial the man of prominence got attention of the writers and poets. The current era of democracy has brought the common man on the forefront of the discussion and writing. In continuation of this increasing importance of the common man in the system of governance and economy, we are going to discuss how the life of a common man is in the Informal Sector of the economy.
Today, we will discuss how the life of a newspaper vendor goes on in a small town like Roorkee, how he is able to sustain his living, what are his aspirations. The newspaper vendor who is first man who reaches my room every morning to deliver the newspaper to start my life well informed about the social, economic and political life of the country. His name is Yogendra Singh. He comes from a middle income family and he is one of the original resident of the Roorkee town which has evolved overtime due to the presence of the Roorkee University now better known by Indian Institute of technology (IIT). He has been catering to the need of the students who are wishing to read newspaper in this age of increased influence of the electronic media.
His day starts from 4:30 am when he goes to the news agency and collect his share of newspapers to be distributed to his customers spread across a large section of the town including the IIT Campus. He distribute newspaper till 9:00 am. After completion of this task, he returns back to his home to get breakfast and then he ventures out on his other part-time job of distribution of different types of biscuits brought from some factories in Ghaziabad. He usually starts his distribution work from 11:00 am and continues till 4:00 pm. This is also the time when his active vocation for economic productive life ends. Sometimes, he approaches his clients from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm for collecting the dues and due commissions from the clients.
The life of the common man is not limited to his engagement in the economic productive activities only but stretches beyond it. He has a small family of four members. His wife is a simple homemaker and keep herself engaged in doing the household chores and teaching her own childrens who are few years old attending primary school in the town. He lives in a outskirt of the town and he is able to meet his basic needs from the town.
Being a middle aged person and satisfied with his vocation, he is not worried about the future. He has not great aspirations to fulfill but the simple desire to educate his children so that they are able to survive in the competitive market economy. The land holding is not sufficient to meet the food production and consumption demand of the family. He has to depend on his own income to run the wheel of the family.
Most of the people in India is engaged in the informal sector for sustenance of his family. Indian economy is largely an informal economy in nature as around 80 percent of the economic activities taking place in the country is in the informal sector. The need for better understanding of their problems and planning for their betterment will pave the way for better world for millions of the workers engaged this sector and add value to the economy through ensuring long term stability.
By Shashikant Nishant Sharma
