In which regions of India did the workforce show a decline in dependence on the agricultural sector during colonial times?

Madras Presidency, Bombay, and Bengal

During the colonial period, there were minimal changes observed in the occupational structure of India, which refers to the distribution of working individuals across different industries and sectors. The agricultural sector remained the dominant source of employment, consistently accounting for a substantial share of the workforce, typically ranging from 70 to 75 percent. In contrast, the manufacturing and services sectors accounted for a much smaller portion, with manufacturing at around 10 percent and services at 15 to 20 percent.

One notable aspect was the emergence of regional variations in the occupational structure. Certain regions within the Madras Presidency (which included present-day Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka), Bombay, and Bengal experienced a decline in the dependence of the workforce on the agricultural sector. Consequently, there was a corresponding increase in employment opportunities in the manufacturing and services sectors in those areas. However, during the same period, states such as Orissa, Rajasthan, and Punjab witnessed an increase in the share of the workforce engaged in agriculture.