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Among their many privileges, India’s wealthiest households can rely on a consistent supply of
electricity and access to cooking gas. The situation is rather different for other social groups,
however. My research has shown lower caste and tribal households have 10%-30% less access to
electricity and clean cooking fuel, even when controlling for other factors like income or
education.
This is just one outcome of India’s caste system, which divides the country’s population into
rigid and hereditary social strata. Caste discrimination was declared illegal in the Indian
constitution – and positive discrimination was introduced to correct historical injustices. Those
assisted by the Constitution are the “scheduled castes”. They make up about 16% of India’s
population and, despite affirmative action, still face many disadvantages.
The “scheduled tribes” are another disadvantaged group. They include tribal or indigenous
communities throughout India, and are outside the Hindu caste system. They comprise about 8%
of the population.
Despite substantial progress since Independence, India still contains the largest number
of energy-deprived people in the world, especially among these marginalised social groups.
Access to modern energy has obvious direct benefits (lighting, cooked food, and so on), but it
can also help micro-enterprises flourish and improve health and environmental quality.
Population without access to modern energy services (million people). IEA Energy Access
Projections, 2016; IEA + WHO data