Question

What kind of work does the passage exemplify?

• A. Government work
• B. Home-based work
• C. Factory work
• D. Minor forest produce
• A. Government
• B. Contractor
• C. Manufacturer
• D. Distributor
• A. Monthly
• B. Daily
• C. Piece Rate
• D. Annually
• A. Government
• B. Workers
• C. Manufacturers
• D. Contractors
• A. Skin infection
• B. Lung infection
• C. Backache
• D. Conjunctivitis

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The passage describes a chain of activities involving the production and distribution of bidis. It highlights various steps, starting from the collection of Tendu leaves to the final sale. Let's evaluate the type of work exemplified by the passage: 

• Government work: This involves public sector tasks and is not the focus here, though the government is involved in the auctioning process.
• Home-based work: The passage highlights home-based activities, where workers, primarily women, conduct the bidi rolling process at home.
• Factory work: Although factories are involved for branding and roasting, the passage emphasizes decentralized labor before this stage.
• Minor forest produce: While Tendu leaves are part of minor forest produce, the focus here is on labor dynamics.

Given this analysis, the passage primarily exemplifies Home-based work, as it describes how workers roll bidis at home, a key part of the production process.

Answer 2

The passage describes the process of making Bidis, which involves home-based workers, mostly women, rolling the bidis in their homes. These workers are supplied with tobacco and Tendu leaves by contractors, and the work is done in a home setting, not in a factory. Therefore, the passage exemplifies home-based work, where individuals work from home rather than a centralized workplace.

(A) Government work: The passage mentions government involvement in the auctioning of leaves, but the work described is not primarily government work.

(B) Factory work: The work done by home-based workers is distinct from factory work.

(D) Minor forest produce: The passage mentions Tendu leaves being collected from forests, but the main focus is on the work involved in making Bidis, not on the forest produce itself.

Thus, the correct answer is (B) Home-based work.

Answer 3

The question asks about who provides raw materials to home-based workers involved in rolling Bidis. Based on the passage, we need to identify the correct entity among Government, Contractor, Manufacturer, and Distributor. 

The passage details the process:

• The forest department or a private contractor initially acquires Tendu leaves.
• The government auctions these leaves to Bidi factory owners.
• These factory owners distribute the leaves to contractors.
• These contractors then supply tobacco and leaves to home-based workers.

From this, the clear conclusion is that a Contractor provides raw materials such as tobacco and leaves to home-based workers rolling Bidis.

Answer 4

In the process of making Bidis, the contractor is the one who provides the raw material (such as tobacco and Tendu leaves) to the home-based workers. The contractor acts as the intermediary between the Bidi factory owners and the workers, supplying them with the necessary materials for making the Bidis.

• Government (A): The government auctions Tendu leaves but does not provide the raw material directly to the home-based workers.
• Manufacturer (C): The manufacturer roasts and labels the Bidis but does not supply the raw material to the home-based workers.
• Distributor (D): The distributor handles the distribution of the final product (packed Bidis) to wholesalers and shops but does not provide raw materials to the workers.

Therefore, the contractor is responsible for supplying the raw materials to the home-based workers.

Answer 5

In the passage, workers are described as home-based individuals, mostly women, who roll Bidis using materials provided by contractors. These workers engage in a production process where they are paid based on the quantity of Bidis they produce. This method of payment aligns with the Piece Rate system. 

The passage highlights the following key points:

• Leaves and tobacco are supplied to workers by contractors.
• The production involves a sequence of manual tasks: dampening leaves, cutting, filling with tobacco, and tying.
• The contractors then collect the finished Bidis.

Under the Piece Rate system, payment is made according to the number of items produced, rather than a fixed time-based salary. Therefore, based on the description provided in the passage, the correct answer is Piece Rate.

Answer 6

The passage describes how home-based workers roll Bidis. These workers, mostly women, roll the Bidis at home, and their compensation is likely based on the number of Bidis they produce, which is typical of piece rate work. Piece rate means workers are paid for each unit of work completed, in this case, for each Bidi rolled, rather than being paid on a daily, monthly, or annual basis.

• Monthly (A): The workers are not paid monthly; instead, they are paid according to the number of Bidis they roll.
• Daily (B): The workers are not explicitly mentioned as being paid daily.
• Annually (D): There is no indication that workers are paid annually.

Thus, the piece rate is the usual method of payment, as workers are paid based on the number of Bidis they produce.

Answer 7

In the Bidi industry, the maximum profit is typically received by the contractors. To understand why, let's analyze the supply chain described in the passage: 

• Villagers: Initially gather Tendu leaves and sell them to either the forest department or a contractor. Their earnings are limited to the basic rate they receive for collecting the leaves.
• Government: Auctions collected Tendu leaves to Bidi factory owners, earning a fixed auction amount but does not involve further to gain additional profit margins.
• Manufacturers: After purchasing Bidis from contractors, they roast, package, and brand the product before selling it to distributors. While they gain profits from branding and scale, their cost structure and branding limit maximum profit compared to contractors.
• Contractors: Act as intermediaries between the government and home-based workers. They obtain Tendu leaves at auctioned prices, supply these alongside tobacco to workers, and then collect finished Bidis to sell to manufacturers. Contractors leverage their position by reducing labor costs and maximizing their markup on selling finished Bidis.

Consequently, given the control over costs and markup potential, contractors are positioned to receive the maximum profit within this chain.

Answer 8

In the Bidi industry, the contractors play a key role in the distribution of materials (such as tobacco and Tendu leaves) to the home-based workers who roll the Bidis. The contractors are also responsible for collecting the finished Bidis from the workers and selling them to the manufacturers. They act as intermediaries between the workers and the manufacturers and often take a significant portion of the profits due to their role in the supply chain.

Government (A): The government is involved in the auctioning of Tendu leaves and regulates the industry, but it does not receive the maximum profit.

Workers (B): Home-based workers are paid on a piece-rate basis and are among the lowest earners in the industry, so they do not receive the maximum profit.

Manufacturers (C): While manufacturers may make a profit from roasting and branding the Bidis, their profit is generally not as high as that of the contractors, who control the supply chain.

Therefore, contractors receive the maximum profit due to their control over the flow of raw materials and the final product in the Bidi industry.

Answer 9

To identify the correct negative consequence of Bidi rolling, we consider the process described in the passage. The workers involved are noted to be mainly women who handle Tendu leaves and tobacco. The task involves dampening leaves, cutting, filling them evenly with tobacco, and tying the rolled Bidis with thread. Direct contact with these materials, notably tobacco, can lead to various health issues. 

The negative consequences associated with this process include:

• Skin infection: Workers frequently in contact with tobacco may experience skin irritation or infection due to the exposure to nicotine and other chemicals present in the leaves and tobacco.
• Lung infection: May occur due to inhalation of fine tobacco particles during the rolling process, but is less directly associated than skin contact.
• Backache: Resulting from the repetitive motion and posture requirements of rolling.
• Conjunctivitis: Possible due to exposure to fine particles in the air, but not specifically highlighted in processes like Bidi rolling.

Considering the options and their typical associations with direct hand contact in Bidi rolling, we identify Skin infection as a prominent consequence. This is because skin exposure to the plant materials and nicotine commonly leads to such health issues, aligning with known occupational hazards of Bidi rolling workers, primarily due to the substances they handle.

Answer 10

The process of Bidi rolling involves handling Tendu leaves, tobacco, and other materials that can lead to skin infections. The workers, often women, frequently come into contact with these materials, which can cause irritation, allergic reactions, and infections on the skin, especially due to the dampness of the leaves.

• Lung infection (B): Although rolling Bidis can lead to inhalation of tobacco smoke and dust, causing respiratory issues, it is not the most direct or primary consequence of the actual rolling process.
• Backache (C): While backache may occur due to prolonged sitting in one position while rolling Bidis, it is not as directly tied to the task as skin infection.
• Conjunctivitis (D): Conjunctivitis is not a typical or direct consequence of Bidi rolling. It is an eye infection, and while working in a dusty or unhealthy environment could lead to eye irritation, it is not a primary consequence of the task.

Thus, skin infection is the most common and direct negative consequence of Bidi rolling.