Abstract

Susmita Pataik , J.K. Baral and Manoj Kumar Dash

The purpose of this research is to study the various problems of the fisherwomen in detail such as sex ration age groups, professions, employment, marketing, income, indebtedness, education, residence, water supplies, health care etc. The analysis is based on a field visit, case study and at the same time to collect information through open-end questionnaire survey amongst 360 fisherwomen from three villages from coastal areas of Orissa, which is one of the poor states of India. Using the open end question and interview with fisherwomen, social- cultural life of fisher women was investigated. It is seen that men take over women’s work as production has changed from subsistence to the market economy. From the study it is inferred that the fisher women is changing though the process of change is slow. However, during the last decade, the pace of change has increased and it is expected to continue with significant implications for the fisher women society. The preceding discussion makes two things clear. The fisher women woman is changing though the process of change is slow. The change is more marked and substantive among fisher women girls than among middle age and elderly women. This research has addressed the research question as to what development goals have been achieved in India to date. One way to summarize an answer to this question by listing of five types of ‘development freedoms’ which he regards as important in going beyond simplistic development measures such as gross national product.