Here is the notes from Class 6 NCERT Political Science – Chapter 9: “Urban Livelihoods”.

Urban Livelihoods

• Urban areas (towns and cities) offer various types of livelihoods (ways of earning a living).
• People do many different jobs, including running shops, working in offices, selling goods, and offering services.

People Work in Different Ways

There are mainly two types of workers in urban areas:

Self-Employed

• • People who run their own work or business.
  • Examples: Street vendors, shopkeepers, cobblers, rickshaw pullers, tailors.
  • They do not have a boss and earn based on the work they do

Wage Earners (Employed by Others)

• • People who work in offices, factories, malls, or homes.
  • Get monthly salary or daily wages.
  • Examples: Factory workers, domestic workers, guards, company employees.

 Street Vendors

• Sell goods in markets, roadsides, and footpaths.
• Sell vegetables, fruits, clothes, snacks, etc.
• Face challenges like:
  • Police harassment
  • No permanent space
  • Bad weather

The law now protects street vendors and allows them to earn without being removed unfairly.

People Working on Wages

• Some work in shops, factories, and offices.
• Others work in homes (domestic workers).
• Many work long hours with low wages and no job security.

People with Regular Jobs

• Work in government or private offices.
• Get:
  • Fixed salary
  • Benefits like holidays, sick leave, pensions
  • More job security

 Changing Livelihoods

• Cities are growing fast; new jobs are coming up.
• Many people migrate from villages to cities in search of better work.
• However, not everyone gets stable or well-paying jobs.

Efforts to Support Urban Workers

• Government schemes to help street vendors and daily wage workers.
• Unions and groups help protect workers’ rights.
• Some workers form cooperatives for fair wages and support.