INTEGRATION OF LAMBADAS AS GANGMEN ON THE RAILWAYS 83 to work as gangmen in the railways are mainly as follows according to respondents. More than 80 per cent of the residents of Poosala thanda are still landless agricultural labourers, who depend on seasonal work and remain unemployed in the slack season or depend upon the few opportunities for non-agricultural work in rural and urban areas. Since most land holders do not have enough resources to invest in inputs to increase land productivity, they also get rather low and fluctuating incomes and find it attractive to become gangmen. As is evident from the detailed earnings data, there is a significant difference in the earnings of even the better-off cultivators and the Railway gangmen. To these material causes should be added the demonstration effect of urban expenditure patterns, leading to changes in the consumption pattern, food habits, marriages and other customs, especially among those who are influenced by urban Hindu society. Furthermore, facilities are provided by the railways for schools, hospitals, and pukka living quarters, which also entail a change in the pattern of living. Mobility from one place to other place has decreased compared to what used to be the case earlier. At present, because at all places gangmen were appointed simultaneously with the development of railways tracks, they are assured of setling at one place. However, they are also given free passes to move around in certain localities. Once in a year they are given family passes to move around in India. Gangmen with contacts and a good reputation with higher authorities are given passes whenever they are in need; and bribes are also entertained at local levels in order to obtain passes. These various benefits induced a rush for railway jobs among the tribal and non-tribal poor. This naturally included those in Poosala thanda since this is well located, only 2 kms. from Dornakal Junction. Nonetheless we find that the poorest Lambada who are most in need of job security, find it very difficult, indeed impossible to become gangmen. Some minimum resources are needed owing to the system of bribes and cuts, which becomes a barrier to entry. This is evident from a look at the process through which a typical Lambada is recruited as gangman: Firstly one has to have contact with one of the permanent employees of railways department, working already as gangman or maistree. This provides the information regarding temporary and permanent vacancies. Once the nature of the job is known, then the amount to be paid is decided. Payment may be either by cash or in kind or both. The amount varies from one place to the other but locally the rates are given respectively, for a permanent gangman and a temporary one. Obviously for a temporary gangman the amount demanded is less than for the permanent post. In many cases the job starts on a temporary basis, then is likely to become permanent depending on the capacity of payment to the contractors who keep the recruits on the waiting list. In