author(s)
Lalita

abstract
The lac insect, Kerria lacca Kerr (Coccoidea: Homoptera) is well known for its valuable resin. It thrives on many host plants like Palas, Kusum, Flemingia and Ber etc. Lac cultivation involves pruning, inoculation, removal of phunki sticks, harvesting and lac scraping instruments. Farmer perform these operation manually with the traditional equipments includes secateurs, sickle, spade, knife, axe, shaw and scrapping instruments and these traditional equipment needs modification to increase work efficiency and lac production. Lac constituents is used in various ways as in pharmaceutical industry, cosmetic industry, mirror coating, shoe polish, sealing material in post office etc and many other industry for various purpose. Lac cultivation in India is mainly confined to the states of Jharkhand whose contribution amounts to 57%, followed by Madhya Pradesh to be 24%, and the rest 19% shared by Maharashtra, Orissa and West Bengal. Lac cultivation has proved to be a subsidiary source of income for the village communities of poor people or landless farmers. Lac cultivation serves as both a complementary and supplementary source of income to the existing livelihood options for the farmers. It is also an assured source of income during lean period of agricultural activities. With low cost inputs it gives high returns which make it highly favorable with the farmers. Lac was a subsidiary crop for the growers who depend on it for meeting cash expenses towards family needs and cash purchase for their household requirements. Lac cultivation is one of the important secondary sources of income for villagers and this is particularly more in the tribal districts.