Prema, ASachu, Zachariah JohnKAU2017-08-302017-08-302015http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810029992Green Army Labour Bank (GALB) is an organization formed as a self-sustaining group of skilled labour force fostered by the local body of Wadakkanchery block panchayat in Thrissur district of Kerala. A systematic study has been taken up with the objectives of studying the institutional structure and capital investment of GALB, to assess the impact of GALB on the welfare of Green Army members (GAM) and farmers who avail the services of GALB. Data were collected from 40 GAM, 40 user farmers, 40 agricultural labourers who are not the members of GALB and 20 officials through personal interviews. The membership of GALB is open to marginal farmers and agricultural labourers aged above 18 years residing in the jurisdiction of Wadakkanchery block. GALB functions on a six level hierarchy system in the order of High power committee, Executive Committee, Chief coordinator, Green Army Group, Green Army Team and Green Army Members. Average number of working days of members of GALB showed a significant increase from 203 days per year to 225 days after joining GALB. The average annual family income of GA members showed 40.51 per cent increase at current price. The monthly consumption expenditure of GA member was increased by 54.81 per cent after joining GALB. Savings of GA members after joining GALB has also increased by 137.5 per cent. The results of regression analysis to study the household welfare taking family consumption as the dependent variable showed significant relationship with economic category, education, age, family size, wages per month received by the members, per month contribution to outstanding loan, empowerment and number of employment days per month. Analysis of the constraints faced by GA members showed that rigidity with time norms was the greatest constraint, followed by drudgery in using machineries and their maintenance. A significant reduction in the number of employment days of ordinary agricultural labourers (OAL) from 221 days per year before GALB formation to 166 days per year was observed consequent to the intervention of GALB. This may be due to consequent reduction in the employment opportunities due to the substitution of manual labour with mechanization by GALB. The mean annual family income of agricultural labourers who were not members of GA significantly increased from Rs.92,826 per year to Rs.1,20,263 after GA. The mean monthly expenditure of the family of agricultural labourer before GA formation has significantly increased to Rs.4686, from Rs.3,314. Nearly 43 per cent of the agricultural labourers have opined that they are not in a position to work away from their village and hence they have not joined the GALB. Many of them (35%) admitted that they were not aware of the establishment of GALB. Due to the intervention of GALB, the area under rice cultivation in Wadakkanchery block has increased to 4559 ha in 2010-11, compared to 3161 ha in 2009-10. The mechanization intervention has resulted in increasing the cost of cultivation from Rs.33,440 per ha to Rs.50,736 per ha. At the same time, an increase of grain yield by 2432 kg/ha was reported by the farmers, contributing to an increase in gross income to the tune of Rs.83,896. The BC ratio at cost A1 improved from 1.6 to 2.59 as a result of GALB intervention. The labour utilization pattern indicated a savings of 108 days per ha due to GALB in rice cultivation to the farmers. GALB over the period has proved itself as a replicable model for supplying labour to the farming community and also for safe guarding the welfare of labourers. Through more diversified activities, undertaking lease land farming and through skill upgradation, the GALB can sustain in the future.ennullThesis