Some Salient Features and Characteristics of Rural Entrepreneurship in Rural West Bengal

Abstract

Most of the entrepreneurs in rural areas fall within the non-farm sector which has been the largest activity after farm sector. In this sector activities are carried out mostly as a secondary occupation to cultivation, which is the primary one. These occupations are mostly carried out by the landless, marginal and small farmers' category. As income from cultivation is not sufficient to meet the daily necessities so another secondary occupation to cultivation, which is the primary one. These occupations are mostly carried out by the landless, marginal and small farmers' category. As income from cultivation is not sufficient to meet the daily necessities so another secondary occupation has been taken up to supplement the income. Some of the occupations are being practiced ' for generations even though they are not remunerative. But most of these occupations require special skill and knowledge, which has been traditionally developed for generations by the entrepreneurs. In West Bengal too, many arts and crafts in rural areas had been flourishing well in earlier days. But with the passage of time, most of these entrepreneurs have becoming defunct. But the Directorate of Cottage and small scale industries has been trying to revitalise these entrepreneurs in various ways, such as, financing, refinancing, and making available raw materials, marketing and export of products. The present article aims in examining the development of small scale industries in different district of West Bengal and to examine the extent of employment generated by these small scale industries for analysis, time series data of number of registered small scale industries with the Directorate of Cottage and Small Scale Industries and quantum of employment generated from these enterprises has been taken into account from 1977-78 to 1990-91. Shortcomings in using this data of number of registered units and employment generated may be due to the actual number in operation and number of persons employed therein.