Diversified Livelihood Practices Among The Tea Garden Labour Community And Its Impact On Their Standard Of Living-A Study Of Assam: India

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to study the diversified livelihood practices among the tea garden labour community of Assam, the highest tea producing state of India. It is done through a sample study of 400 individual workers of tea garden labour community in three districts of Assam viz. Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and Sonitpur done in July 2023.  Diversified livelihood practices also known as occupational diversification means adoption of various occupations by individual or households in search of better income, improved standard of living and reduced risk. The extent of occupational diversification has been calculated by using Simpson Index of Diversification (SID). After calculating the index of diversification for each worker, average for all workers in selected districts has been obtained. The data are further compared to all India and all Assam level. After knowing the status of diversified livelihood practices, an index of standard of living is constructed and calculated for all individual worker and the impact of occupational diversification on the standard of living is analysed with the help of Tobit censored regression model and the study found a significantly positive relationship between occupational diversified occupational practices and standard of living of the said community.