Issues Related to Traditional Microenterprise Clusters in India : Case of a Dying Black Smithy Cluster at Patardih Village in India

This paper aims to listen and understand the voices of the self-employed workers of a shrinking traditional iron kitchen utensil making microenterprise cluster based at Patardih village of Deoghar district in state of Jharkhand in India. The point of view of these self-employed workers have been put forward on reasons they feel have led to the regression of their microenterprises and shrinking of their cluster; their plight due to insecure livelihood and possible solutions for turnaround of their cluster. The mode of enquiry adopted for the study is participatory. The study collects and analyses primary qualitative data, using participatory techniques in a pursuit to answer the identified research questions. The perspective of these self-employed cluster workers could lead a people centered approach for improvement or up-gradation of such traditional clusters. Interventions for improvement of such clusters should be inclusive and participatory in nature and should take into account not only their suggestions but also should involve them in every step, as this may lead to the right direction and possibly better results