SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND PROBLEMS OF MINING LABORERS IN BALLARI AREA

The mining and quarrying industry is a part of the primary sector. Mineral resources occupy a place of prominence among precious natural resources. The mining industry plays a substantial role in export promotion and earns significant foreign exchange resources.Ballari district is located on the State's eastern side, and Ballari is known as the 'Steel city of South India.The district has rich mineral deposits, especially iron ore and manganese. The Sandur hills are rich in iron and manganese, with an average annual output of three million tonnes.Mine owners and transport companies are also making an excellent profit, and Mining Creates substantial employment prospects and fair wages for the labourers in the Sandur region. However, due to mining, workers face many problems such as health problems, pollution, malnutrition, unhygienic conditions, etc.The study objectives are to examine the socio-economic conditions of the mining laborers and explore the issues faced in the Sandur region and analyze the awareness about DMF and expectations from the DMF among the respondents.The quantitative and qualitative data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data is collected from 24 respondents of selected labourers in Sandur Taluk. The preliminary crosssectional information was obtain through a structured questionnaire and observation through a field survey. In addition, descriptive Statistical tools have been used to analyze the data.