Reshma / Aligarh

Woman taking care of the home is not considered productive in financial terms. Now, a study on India women shows that on average a homemaker’s remuneration for kitchen work alone should be Rs 9100 a month.

This figure is calculated on the basis of extensive research done by Assistant Professor Zeba  of Home Science Department of Aligarh Muslim University.

This research paper titled Women: Problems and Challenges' has been published in a academic journal.

Zeba was also honoured by the National Commission for Women after her study was adjudged the best research paper.

Zeba being felicitated at AMU

Zeba says besides the kitchen work involving cooking and dishwashing, a homemaker does a lot of other physical work like washing clothes, cleaning the house etc. However her research is based on only 8 pieces of work a woman does in the kitchen.

The research is based on the interviews of home-makers in the age group of 30-35 year who has to cater to a four-member family comprising husband, a school-going child, a toddler and herself.

As per the study, a woman’s work is monetized as follows:

• Rs 4500 for cooking vegetables and rice (3 times a day)
  
• Rs 300 for chopping vegetables (3 times a day)
  
• Rs 600 for grinding spices (two times)
  
• Rs 100 for cleaning (8 times)
  
• Rs 100 for kneading flour (once)
  
• Rs 100 for cleaning the slab of the kitchen (Three times)
  
• Rs 1500 rupees for doing dishes (three times)
  
• Rs 1500 for making chapatti (three times)
  

According to Zeba's research, it takes 8.41 hours for a homemaker to do all the above work. The worse part of her job is that after such labour intensive work she doesn’t get even a day’s off.

Zeba says it’s a matter of regret that 8.41 hours of work of a housewife and an income of Rs 9100 a month is not counted in the national income.