CHAPTER - 1

Introduction
“When a man educate, his family develops, when a women educates, a nation develops”

….Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.

1. Introduction

India is rapidly gaining recognition among developing economies of the world. India
ranks second in the world in terms of population. Every sixth person in the world is an
Indian citizen. Since independence, there has been a tremendous revolution in
agriculture in India known as the Green Revolution. The Green Revolution established
India as the leader of the exporter of food grains from a food grain importing country.
India is now becoming a world leader in exporting agricultural products globally. Since
independence, the life expectancy of Indians has almost doubled and the literacy rate
has been quadrupled, health conditions have improved drastically and a sizeable middle
class has emerged.

The world's renowned pharmaceutical companies, steel manufacturing companies,

information, and space Technology Companies are looking to invest in India. This is
indicative of the fact that India is now making its mark globally in the field of providing
a suitable environment for the production of goods and services. The world's leading
multinational companies are clearly seeing their bright future in the Indian markets and
setting up production units here. At the same time due to widespread poverty and
unemployment in India, the benefits of development schemes are not reaching all
sections of society.

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It is the duty of every state unions to provide all necessary basic amenities to its citizens
in order to live a life of self-respect and dignity. India has tried to uplift the living
standard of its citizens from the very beginning of independence in 1947 and started a
series of five years plans to achieve the said goals.
In order to measure the living standard of people all over the world, the United Nations
Organisation (UNO) developed a Human Development Index (HDI) in 1990. This index
informs us of the standard of living across different nations of the world. An overall
ranking is provided to all the countries in this report every year. Every country tries to
make great economic growth in order to strengthen its economy and protect from outside
aggression. In order to provide this, development at the economic front plays a very
crucial role.

India is the third-largest economy in the world and has witnessed several economic
policies from the planning commission to NITI Ayog. The journey of becoming the
third-largest economy in the world has seen many socio-economic changing profiles of
the country. The Indian economy has seen many ups and downs in its Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) growth as well as the national income of the country. The economic
profile of the country has seen many rising signs of development. But social
development has not been in pace with economic development.

Both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) keep an eye on the
economic development of all 193 countries in the world. Two popular methods are
mainly used to calculate the world economy which is nominal GDP and GDP by
Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). Nominal GDP does not include the living standard of
the citizens living in a particular country, while GDP by PPP is based on normal
prevailing prices and affects people's daily transactions. Thus we can say that it is a good
indicator of economic growth. Currency exchange PPP is considered a good indicator
of the economic growth of all countries. Currency exchange makes the value of goods
and services equally affordable in all countries by changing the currency of one country
to another.

In a particular year, the GDP by nominal varies due to the prevailing prices in that year,

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while production remains almost the same as in the previous year. This is a limitation of
GDP by nominal. Thus the prices prevailing in any two countries can be compared very
easily with its help, the purchasing power of the residents of both countries is easily
identified.

2. India’s progress on the economic front:

International Monetary Fund in its Economic outlook annual report (2018) issued a
world economy ranking in which the USA was the largest economy with a GDP of 20.49
trillion $, followed by China with a GDP of 13.4 trillion $. India’s rank was seventh with
2.72 trillion $. At the pace with which it is moving it is assumed that soon India will be
the sixth-largest economy in the world. In 1961 India's GDP was 3.72 billion as
estimated by the World Bank. Now in 2017, it is 7.16 billion . Hence we can conclude
that in terms of GDP, India's economy has seen credible growth.

Today India is the 5th emerging economy of the world in terms of nominal GDP,
whereas it is the 3rd largest economy in terms of PPP$. According to the IMF World
Economic Outlook (April-2019), the GDP (nominal) of India in 2019 at current prices
is projected at $2,972 billion. India contributes 3.36% of the total world's GDP on an
exchange rate basis. India shares 17.5 percent of the total world population and 2.4
percent of the world's surface area. This projection would make India as 5th largest
economy of the world.

If we see India's growth journey since independence it is very easy to estimate that our
nation has done considerably creditable work on the economic growth front in terms of
GDP. India is at 3rd position after China and Japan among Asian Countries. India shares
around 9% of Asia's total GDP (nominal).

On the basis of PPP, the economy of India in 2019 is projected at 11,468 billion
international dollars, 3rd largest economy of the world after the United States and China.
India contributes 7.98% of the total world's GDP (PPP). India shares over 16 percent of
Asia's total GDP (PPP). Gross Domestic Product of India at PPP is 3.86 times more than
GDP at nominal.

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3. The role of women in the economy

Here the well-known quote of United Nations from 1980 is even more relevant: “Women
constitute half the world's population, perform nearly two-thirds of its work hours,
receive one-tenth of the world's income, and own less than one-hundredth of the world's
property”(UNO,1980).

In 1995, women from 189 countries staged a fierce demonstration in front of the United
Nations. The protesting women were demanding a more equitable life with dignity for
all the women of the world. Women are still struggling for more equitable economic
engagement in the labor market. Two-thirds of the world’s work is performed by
women. Most of them were engaged especially in agriculture, for a minimum of 10
percent of the income (Inter Action, 2009); own nearly 1 percent of the world assets
(www.onlinewomeninpolitics.org), and represent 70 percent of the world’s poor (ILO).
“Whether women are working in industrialized nations or developing countries, in rural
or urban settings, most women still carry the triple burden of raising children,
performing household chores and earning an income for their family,” was the finding
of the 2010 Sor optimist International white paper “Women at Work.”

In some recent studies, it was observed that nearly 27 percent of Indian adult women
had a job or were actively in search of one, in comparison to 79 percent men, in the year
of 2012. The studies found that between 2005 to 2012 almost 19 million women had
dropped off the workforce. In fact, this is equivalent to the whole population of Sri
Lanka.

Agriculture is the main occupation of Indian people since ancient times. Therefore India
is called an agriculture dominated country. More than sixty percent of employment
generation is done through agriculture and its allied activities in India. The role of
women cannot be underestimated in this field.

Women are the backbone of agriculture in Uttarakhand generally and in hills

particularly. Therefore women play a crucial and significant role in the development of
agriculture in the hills of Uttarakhand. Women constitute about half of the population in
Uttarakhand. Almost all women in Uttarakhand is a part of agricultural and its allied
activities. The nature and extent of women's involvement in agriculture varies greatly

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from region to region. Generally eradication of poverty and to promote the growth of
Uttarakhand, agriculture may play a crucial role in the development of this hill state.
This can be done either by the means of organic farming or revitalizing the traditional
method of agriculture.

4. Poverty and social stratification in Indian society

The Scheduled Caste population has increased marginally from 16.2 percent in the year
2001 to 16.9 percent in the 2011 census. 80 percent of SC and ST are living in rural
areas. The majority of their population is concentrated in only five states.

Biradar, 2005 It has been argued that the workers belonging to SC/ST with better
education are more likely to secure high-end, better paid jobs and thereby contributing
to greater decline in poverty among them.

Among social groups, poverty incidence is highest among scheduled castes and
scheduled tribes. It is encouraging to note the recent poverty estimates that the poverty
rate for SC / ST declined between 2004–5 and 2009–10.

In the study of Sankaran et al (2017) the Indian caste system is a complex social structure
wherein social roles like one’s profession became ‘hereditary,’ resulting in restricted
social mobility and fixed status hierarchies. Furthermore, we argue that the inherent
property of caste heightens group identification with one’s caste. Highly identified group
members would protect the identity of the group in situations when group norms are
violated.

5. The caste system

5.1 The Caste system: A conceptual Understanding

The caste system is a unique system in itself that reflects human behavior towards human
beings. The caste system in India is found in an extreme form. The logical reason for
this is that caste has become an ideology and has entered the entire Hindu society. In
this form, it is not found anywhere else in the world. The caste system is found only in
India. However, this is not the case either. It is believed that the caste system exists in
all places in the world and it affects almost all people of all religious groups (Devis,
1967, p.280).

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There is enough evidence in the history of the world, which indicates instances of
discrimination on the basis of caste, religion, and race. Almost all the countries of the
world practice casteism. In Europe, European consider Roma (Gypsies) and Jews to be
members of the lower caste and accordingly maintain social distance from them. Negro
individuals are considered low-caste in the US on the basis of species, and a white
American child is taught to discriminate from birth.

Casteism in South Asia is showing its presence in almost all religions in its extreme
form. In Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, untouchability in the name
of casteism continues even in the present century. The biggest evidence of this was the
2001 Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination which addresses the issue of
the violation of human rights belonging to Dalits and other similar groups.

Dr. Majumdar (1952) says that India's caste system is unique in the world. Generally,
India is considered a traditional place for castes and sects. Muslims and Christians here
are also not untouched by India's caste system. The caste system is present in the extreme
form among the Muslims and Christians of India. According to the census of 1911, there
were 94 castes of Indian Muslims. In Christianity too, Catholicism and Protest are the
two major classes on the basis of religion, which, like caste, are full of characteristics of
control and social distance. Both Muslims and Christians have separate churches and
mosques as well as separate burial grounds. Untouchability is commonly practiced but
not widespread, and its form varies greatly (Deshpande & Bapana, 2008).

5.2 Features of the Caste system:

Characteristic of caste as a unit and as a system is generally defined by the scholars. As

a unit, it can be defined as a close ascribed group which means, it is a social status that
is neither earned nor chosen but assigned i.e. one inherits the caste of one’s parents. It is
decided since birth. In simple words, we can assume that it is mandatory which means
it is not a matter of choice and is unalterable i.e. caste identity cannot be changed
(Deshpande & Bapana, 2008). Each ascribed groups have their own rules and regulation
which are compulsory to practice for every group member. Another important feature as
a unit of caste is endogamy in which the members are required to marry within their own

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caste or sub-caste. Some scholars considered it a wide kinship group due to caste
intermarriage (Karve, 1990). Each caste has a traditional hereditary fixed occupation
which is passed on from generation to generation. Each caste group is restricted to
particular occupations. Each caste group has its own set of criteria related to the sharing
of food and water. Lastly, each caste has its own committee called the caste panchayat.
The word Panchayat literally means a body of five persons. It is a permanent
organization, and its meeting takes place from time to time as per requirement (Hutton,
1969).

The main feature of caste as a system is the hierarchy based on birth. The level of the
relationship among all the castes in the society is found to be high or low because this
relationship is based on birth, so stability and perseverance are found in it. Another
salient feature relates to the ban on food and water sharing, commonly known as the
prohibition of companionship, which prescribes the rule of a person of one caste to eat
food with persons of another caste. Many prohibitions on food are found among the
members of other castes along with the Brahmin. All castes existing in India are part of
a system in which castes are separated and closely integrated into the prescribed
hierarchy. Thus, taken as a factor of a system, castes are non-competing, interdependent
but strictly hierarchized groups.

5.3 Origin of Castes in India: The Untouchable

There are many scholars trying to explain the origin of castes in their own ways, but all
they have some sort of substantial difference among themselves including Indian as well
as western philosophers. In India generally the word Jatis and varna are used
simultaneously. They are used synonymously with each other.

5.4 Varna and castes in India

There are substantial differences among scholars regarding the origin of the varna
system. In the original Rigveda, society was divided into three classes based on karma.

The word Shudra is mentioned in the tenth mandala of the Rigveda. The tenth mandala
of the Rigveda, which was added later, does not represent the entire Rigveda. Thus in

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this way, society was classified into four systems in Rigveda. This system later takes the
form of varna.

According to ancient text Rigveda, the division of society was based on Brahma's divine
manifestation of four groups. Priests and teachers were cast from his mouth, rulers, and
warriors from his arms, merchants, and traders from his thighs, and workers and peasants
from his feet. Thus classes and occupations existed in the Rig Vedic period but were not
hereditary. Four varna categories were constructed to organize society along economic
and occupational lines. Spiritual leaders and teachers were called Brahmins, warriors
and noble were called Kshatriyas, merchants and producers were called Vaishyas, and
laborers were called Shudras.

Some scholars believe that occupation and class were not hereditary in the original
Rigveda. Everyone could take any profession according to his interests and on the basis
of own qualities. There was no restriction on having meals and having inter-marital
relations between the occupations and classes. Thus, initially, there was no division like
the upper class and lower class, and this system was based on the principle of division
of labor (Hutton, 1969).

The Varna system got developed in the later Vedic period, and it was being started to be
mentioned in the holy religious scriptures. Thus it became a religious system on the basis
of occupations. According to another ideology, varna means color and based on this
color, there is a distinction between Arya and Dasa. The color of Aryans is clean & fair
and the color of Dasa (slaves) is considered black (Ahuja, 1999). There is no description
of the Shudra in the pre-Vedic period, but some words which were used by Aryans for

showing hate are known, such as Nishad, Chandala and Ayoga.

Therefore, it can be said that caste is not related to varna. In practice, the Brahmin varna
is also divided into several castes. And similarly in other varnas. Srinivas observed that
the varna system presents a framework for understanding the caste system (Srinivas ,
1969). Caste reflects the status quo of Hindu society. The character of the varna system
is found in all India (Ahuja, 2014).

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5.5 Theories related to the origin of caste

There are many theories about the origin of caste in India. The traditional theory states
that out of four varnas, the system of pratiloma marriage is responsible for the origin of
the caste system. The caste system originated due to the practice of inverse marriage.
Inverse marriage assumes that castes arise due to low class men and high class women.
In anuloma marriages, castes originated from upper-class male and lower-class female.
With regards to the origin of a number of castes, it is believed that those have been
formed as a result of the hypergamous or hypogamous marriages between the four
original ‘varnas’.

French scholar Abe Dubbay explains that the origin and development of the caste system
is the result of a political plan made by the Brahmins so that they can get a higher
position in the hierarchal order.

According to Ghurye (2017), the Brahmins created the caste system to preserve the
blood purity of the Aryans. Brahmins imposed restrictions on food and social intercourse
to preserve their purity necessary for the sacerdotal functions. The result of the efforts
of the Brahmins to maintain the blood purity of the Aryans was caste. The Brahmins
contributed to making the caste system permanent, but the caste system is the creation
of Brahmins, this cannot be accepted (Hutton, 1999).

Nesfield considered occupation the only reason for the origin of the caste system.
Nesfield is the chief advocate of this theory. He says that the technique of pursuing a
profession efficiently was passed on from another generation by the way of inheritance.
People adopted a profession for a long time. Thus, some business associations were
formed. Who came to be called caste? Castes were identified on the basis of fixed
occupation. Persons in noble occupations, such as educating the people, fighting in the
battlefield, trade, etc. were considered as members of superior castes. The others were
treated as persons belonging to inferior castes, such as the Shudras. He holds the view
that in the beginning when there was no rigidity, each individual was free to have an
occupation of his choice. But gradually with the rigidity in the system, occupational
changes came to a halt.

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The first three parts of the varna system represent the different branches of society on
the basis of occupations such as Brahmins - religious, Kshatriya - political and Vaishya
– economic. And Shudras are associated with the service sector.

The racial theory of the origin of caste was propounded by Ridgeley. This theory is
modern and more closely related to the science of anthropology. He writes that it was
due to conflict of cultures and interaction of races that the process of caste formation
started in India.

This principle is based on Arya - Dravid Theory. Arya came from outside and Dravid
was a native here. A great struggle took place between them. There was a conflict
between them to occupy the landholdings following which the Aryans were victorious.
The Aryans were in small numbers and had to maintain the purity of their blood as well.
So they separated themselves from the Dalits.

They imposed many restrictions related to marriages and the sharing of food with non-
Aryans. When the Aryans had women, they got married to Dharma women, which is
called Anulom Vivah. The opposite is called inverse marriage. A half breed was born
due to inverse marriage in Dravid-Arya. Its members married only among themselves.
They worked as a caste. With regards to the origin of a number of castes, it is believed
that those have been formed as a result of the hypergamous or hypogamous marriages
between the four original ‘varnas’.

According to Ghurye, Aryan addressed the native inhabitants by saying harsh words like
dasa or shudra which means the enemy in the Iranian language. Though the feeling of
race discrimination is not the only reason for the origin of the caste system, it is one of
the main reasons.

5.6 Development of caste in India

The Vedic period is also divided into two parts: Pre-Vedic Period and the Post-Vedic
Period. The use of word varna is found in the pre-Vedic period. Varnas are mentioned
which are related to Arya and Das. In the earlier Vedic period, society was divided into
three systems during this period.

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According to the second ideology, varna means color and on this basis, Aryans
discriminated against non-Aryans. The later Vedic period is known from the Brahmin
period. The literature of this period includes Brahminic texts, Puranas and Upanishads,
etc. Many examples of untouchability are visible in this period. The shudra were treated
badly and were denied Upnayan rites. Many restrictions like matrimonial relations and
food sharing were imposed on them.

In this era, where the caste system was strengthened, it was also attacked by prominent
personalities like Gautam Buddha, Mahavir Swami, etc. They tried to demolish the caste
system and preached equality in the society, thus, opposing untouchability and high and
low caste system of the society.

Later in this periode, Acharya Chanakya made Chandragupta Maurya a king, keeping
the law of the state above religion, Ashoka, the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, had
a religious policy based on universal brotherhood and tolerance in which caste bonds
had no place.

However, in this period some devout saints like Ramanuja, Kabir, Nanak, Tukaram,
Namdev, etc., while showing the path of devotion, strongly condemned idol worship and
caste system and preached equality among individuals. During this period, the condition
of the Shudras remained as low as before and they remained victims of social disability.

In the British period, they made some contribution to breaking the caste system. First,
they established a civil and a criminal court in each district, due to which the punitive
rights of the caste panchayat were abolished. Second, the Elimination of Caste Disability
Act of 1818, the Rebellion Remarriage Act and the Special Marriage Act of 1872 also
gave a major blow to the caste system. All these steps were taken by the British rule to
smoothen the administration, they had nothing to do with ending the caste system.

The British worked to encourage the continuation of the caste system by providing titles
and land to some castes so that people could sit in caste and sub-castes and not organize
against British rule. During this period, many social reformers like Raja Rammohan Roy
founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828, Mahadev Govind Ranade established the Prarthana
Samaj in 1867 and Swami Dayanand Saraswati in 1875. Swami Dayanand Saraswati

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founded Arya Samaj in 1755 while Swami Vivekananda established the Ramakrishna
Mission One in 1856.

In 1851 AD, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule in Pune city of Maharashtra established the
Satyashodhak Samaj. The main aim of all these movements or organizations was to aim
for the elimination of the caste system. The main purpose of these movements was to
protest against the ritualistic rituals, animal sacrifices, untouchability, etc. This period
could not end the caste system but there was a positive change in the mindset of the
people towards the caste system.

6. Education and Health Scenario of Dalit women in India

6.1 Dalit in the economy

Education plays a very important role in the development of human beings. It is noticed
that Indians focus more on educating their society members. These traditions lead to a
better quality of human beings.

There are various schemes run by the government in the advancement of the Dalit
community. Some of these schemes are as follows.
Educational advancement schemes of schedule cast.
1. Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship Scheme for Schedule Castes Students 2010.
2. Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana 2008
3. Pradhanmantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY 2009).
4. 12th Five Year Plan Strategy for Educational Advancement of Scheduled Caste.
Education will continue to be the most important means of providing high-quality
education for the Scheduled Caste students to maximize their participation in new
economic opportunities in the Twelfth Five Year Plan. Several steps have been taken by
the government to ensure access and participation of scheduled caste students to quality
education
To promote educational development, special attention is needed by providing
scholarships in the form of assistance at various levels of education, which include
increasing the hostel facilities for boys and girls students separately. Upgrading the

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Aanganwadis Centre and preschools in SC dominated areas. These should be equipped
with qualified teachers and high-quality infrastructure throughout the country.
Its aim should be to cover all scheduled caste girls and boys studying up to class 12th.
It should be ensured that reservation quota and scholarship are applied in their full form.
Various incentives such as the free supply of textbooks, free hostel facilities, etc. should
be given to them in order to retain them in schools. They should be provided with quality
education to all SC children and especially girls (Planning Commission of India, 2012).

6.2 Economic development of dalit

For the economic development of the Scheduled caste community, Govt. of India runs
many schemes. Some of these important schemes of economic advancement of
scheduled caste are as follows

 National Scheduled Caste Finance and Development Corporation was set up in

1989.

 National Safai Karamcharis Finance in Development Corporation was set up in

1997.

 Valmiki Malnin Basti Aawas Yojana was launched in the year 2001.

 Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act MGNREGA 2005.

 Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana.

 Indira Aawas Yojana:

The main objective of this program is to provide financial assistance for the construction
of housing units to the people living below the poverty line in rural areas. Preference
will be given to those families who are belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled
tribes. During a financial year, 60% of the total allocations are utilized in the
construction of housing units to BPL families of SC and ST categories.

6.3 Scheduled caste sub-plan and tribal sub-plan

The Special Component Scheme was launched in 1979-1980. The planning strategy

includes a description of all the financial and material goals that are required to form an
integral part of the plan documents. The main objective of this scheme is to facilitate the

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pulling and mobilization of resources from all other development schemes in proportion
to their population for the overall development of the Dalit community. To avail of their
fixed share of plan benefits and outlay, funds can be made available to various categories
of Scheduled Castes.

The scheme is expected to cover all those poor families such as agricultural laborers,
small and marginal farmers, sharecroppers, sweepers, etc. and all major occupational
groups. Apart from this, improving the living conditions of the Scheduled Castes
through the provision of housing, drinking water supply, panchayat ghar, community
hall, the extension of electricity and construction of link roads to all the urban
unorganized labor who are living below the poverty line.

For the development of Scheduled Castes, the Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment under the Government of India is the main implementing agency of
"Special Central Assistance (SCA) of Central Sector Scheme" for Scheduled Castes Sub
Plan (SCSP) since 1980. States / UTs can utilize 15% of the total SCA issued by the
Central Government to them, especially in making economic programs/development
schemes for Dalit women that provide them a fixed viable income, Out of total SC
beneficiaries, at least 30% women candidates’ participation belonging to Scheduled
Castes is to be ensured under skill development programs.

7. Development strategy since independence in planning

After attaining independence in 1947, the Government of India has been making sincere
efforts for the social and economic development of the Scheduled Castes community.
This idea is one of the primary objectives of the Government of India to ensure that there
is a wide improvement in the standard of living of the people of the Dalit community
and that they can experience equality with particular communities.

The predominantly Dalit society was tolerating two types of discrimination, firstly they
were socially excluded and secondly they were often treated with inequality. In order to
achieve the purpose of universal brotherhood, it was necessary to involve them with
other communities and to overcome social exclusion and discrimination with them.

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To achieve these objectives, the Government of India enacted the Untouchability
Offenses Act of 1955. The Act was amended in 1976 and is known as the Protection of
Civil Rights (PCR) Act, 1979. The act acted as anti-discrimination measures. The Act
bans the use of untouchability with Dalits in public services and places. The Prevention
of Atrocities (POA) Act, 1989 provides legal protection to SCs and STs against violence
and atrocities by other higher castes.

7.1 I Five-year plan (1951-1956)

The Census of 1951of India identified 779 Scheduled Castes in India. All these castes
were backward at that time. Backwardness was defined as the lack of adequate
opportunity for a particular community in terms of self-development and lack of
resources in economic and social events. It is measured as a low level of income and the
extent of illiteracy and low standard of living.

In part III and Article 17 of the Constitution of India which deals with the abolition of
‘Untouchability’ defines “Untouchability is abolished and its practice in any form is
forbidden. The enforcement of any disability arising out of ‘Untouchability’ shall be an
offense punishable in accordance with law”.

A fourth folding program has been implemented to remove untouchability. The

following is a brief description of that, the first is to remove untouchability by law, the
second is to expect democratic behavior from all citizens, the third is to provide
opportunities for self-development, and the fourth is to promote health and education for
the betterment of economic life and living conditions.

In addition, the responsibility of allocating wastelands to people living in rural areas was
given to the Harijan Sevak Sangh, at that time the Harijan Sevak Sangh had 35 state
branches and 325 district committees.

7.2 II. Five year Plan (1956-1961)

With the enactment of the Untouchability (Offenses) Act, the practice of untouchability
was made a ‘cognizable offense’. Apart from this, various housing facility, drinking
water, economic upliftment, and educational programs that provide freedom and

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scholarship to these people. Special emphasis was given to train them in specialized craft
training centers.

7.3 III Five years plan (1961-1966)

The scheme provides funding for welfare programs for scheduled castes. About half of
this amount was spent on education schemes. And the remaining half was to be spent on
economic upliftment and plans for health and housing. Earlier, the main emphasis was
only on scholarship-related education, in the Second Five-Year Plan, as a provider of
residential facilities in educational institutions, hostels are exempted from fees and
financial aid to the needy student. It also proves to be a method of reservation in
recruitment in public services.

7.4 IV Five-year plan (1969-1974)

The regular planning process was interrupted by two successive droughts of 1965 -1967
and devaluation of the rupee in 1966, war with Pakistan and huge inflationary pressures
on the economy. There was not enough outlay in this plan to invest in this scheme.

7.5 V Five-year plan (1974-1979)

At the central government level, special emphasis was laid on the post-matric
scholarship scheme, free hostel for girls and free coaching of students. Educational
incentive subsidy provision was encouraged in the state plan. In addition, special efforts
were also made to increase the need for various agricultural programs and development
corporations. The plan has more emphasis on Malaria control and leprosy control
programs.

7.6 VI Five-year plan (1980-1985)

To uplift the socioeconomic status and to throw out mass poverty spread among these
communities, Special component Plans were formulated as a part of various
developmental schemes/programs to help the Scheduled Castes community.

The plan lays emphasis on the overall strategy for the overall development of these
communities, including every area of their lives. This includes the integration of services
at the delivery point to the beneficiary, with a view to developing self-reliance..Special

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emphasis was laid on the need to open ICDS in Scheduled Caste and Backward
dominated areas.

The scheme was also implemented for kindergarten (Balwadis) to children. To meet the
credit requirement to these castes, the Scheduled Castes Finance and Development
Corporation will play a catalytic role in channelizing funds under DRI as well as input
credit. SCS for the economic development of SC including land development and
agricultural production and animal husbandry etc. In addition, special emphasis is placed
on the development of dairy, sheep, goat poultry, and leather work and other cottage and
village industries, fisheries including various Small Scale Industries.

7.7 VII Five year plan (1985-1990)

The Sixth Plan emphasized beneficiary-oriented development schemes from family

welfare programs. The general framework of these socioeconomic programs was
specifically directed and designed for the benefit of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes. Thus we can say that the main thrust of the Seventh Plan was on reducing the
socio-economic gap between the general level and the Scheduled Castes.

To sum up, in the Seventh Plan period, the relationship between the organizational
structure of services and individual coordination between different sectors and programs
will receive close and constant attention.

7.8 VIII Five year plan (1992-1997)

Women of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are in a far worse position. In
terms of development indicators, poverty and deprivation of basic amenities affect them
more adversely. They work similarly to men but are not accepted as the producer’s
position in the economy. The strategy for the development of Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes will include a major thrust for the benefit of women. Facilities such as
health care, nutrition, and road connectivity, the supply of drinking water, hostel
accommodation, facilities of free schooling, etc. and institutional structure promote the
integration of SC and ST with the rest of society.

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7.9 IX Five-year plan (1997-2002)

Providing primary education to all by 2005 and with focusing exclusively on low literacy
areas. To address the current problem of "out of reach", it is necessary by providing
residential schools with hostel facilities in remote and tribal-dominated areas.

To develop health packages to deal with diseases that were endemic in nature. Protecting
the lives of the tribal population by introducing the concept of mini Anganwadi with
norms of comfort in remote areas.

Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Special Nutrition Program, and

Nutrition Support for Primary Education popularly known as Mid-Day Meal Program
was startred in this plan.

Low enrollment retention rates and high dropout rates have been reviewed in states. To
provide infrastructural facilities in the hostel to poor students. Distribution of free books,
free uniforms in addition to regular scholarships to them

7.10 X Five year plan (2002-2007)

Educational status of SC women is also very depressing as it continues to be very low

at 23.8% in 1981, when compared to the total female literacy at 39.3 percent indicating
a very wider gap. Their educational backwardness continues to be an obstacle in the
process of empowering them socially.

Economic conditions of SCs continue to remain very depressing as 36.3 percent of

species from rural area and 38.5% from urban areas still live below the poverty line.
while it was only 27.1 percent for rural area and 23.6 percent for urban areas in respect
of total population, as per the poverty estimate of the planning commission in 1992 -
2000. The work participation among SCs as per the 2011 census revealed that more than
76% of them areworking in the primary sector of the economy. Nearly half of this are
agricultural laborers and a little more than one fourth persons are cultivators.

Letting the community do the job of manual scavenging especially carring the night soil
on head, is not less than any crime. The main reason for this is that the government

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failed to convert dry toilets into manual benches in areas where it still exists. The
government failed to identify these changes and was unable to train them.

The moto of tenth five year plan is reaches the unreached, The scheme focuses on SC
in general and girl and women in particular. Therefore, pay attention to a scenario where
there is massive poverty on one hand and there exist a definite improvement in the
literacy rates of SCs on the other hand. There is still a considerable difference in literacy
rates of SC and general population.

7.11 XI Five-year plan (2007-2012)

More than half of the scheduled caste population is concentrated in five states Uttar
Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. Punjab has the highest
ratio of schedule caste population to state population.

The National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation was established
in 1997 to provide financial assistance to the Safai Karamcharis. The corporation has
introduced micro-loan finance scheme under Mahila Samridhi Yojana. The important
scheme for the educational development of SCs providing coaching facilities to the
student to prepare them for various competitive examinations conducted by union public
service commission and Uttarakhand State public service commission.

45.6 percent of workers at all India level and 52 percent of worker the rural level are
agricultural laborers as compared to 26.5 percent and 33. 05 percent among all workers
at the national and rural levels respectively. This position got reversed when we come
to know the share of SCs among cultivators which is 19.9 percent and 23.4 percent for
ruler workers compared to 30.6 and 40.2 percent respectively for all workers. Thus there
is massive unemployment in various SC communities in every state of India.

7.12 XII Five year plan (2012-2017)

With a long history of planning and development in India, the fruits of growth did not
spread equally in all sections of the society all the parts of the country. During the
planning era to maintain the tempo of growth was a challenging task to policymakers
keeping in mind that our geographical boundaries are vast and heterogamous? The main
objective of the twelfth five-year plan is sustainable, faster and more inclusive growth.
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The condition in the undeveloped region especially where rural areas are more
dominated became more challenging. These areas are in the struggle of other problems
of their own. It won’t matter what is going on in the rest of the economy due to
administrative effectiveness.

Poverty has declined during the last decade in all the sections of the society but the
poverty headcount ratio of SC and ST is still higher than the other sections of the society.
During 2004-2005 and 2009-2010 poverty in SC and ST has decreased at an accelerated
pace rate.

Government outlay must increase in various schemes run by the government for their
development. Preference will be given in Post and pre-matric scholarship to the children
of those SC families who are engaged in unclean occupation to date.

For pursuing higher education from a master's degree to Ph.D. programs in various fields
SC students can avail of the benefits of National overseas scholarship schemes. The
various disciplines include engineering, technology, medicines, agriculture sciences,
and management courses.

The government has taken various initiative for marketing and providing schedule caste
entrepreneur’s artisans produce at reasonable rate of their produce. This includes
providing stall to them on the subsidized rate in various national and international
exhibitions. TRIFED will be the apex body of marketing the various products produced
by the SC and ST entrepreneurs.

8. Dalit women empowerment

The economic empowerment of women is the need of the hour in this present scenario.
Rural women constitute 48.5 percent of the total population of India. But their
contribution to GDP of the country is the milieu. Nowadays micro finance emerges as a
tool for women empowerment in developing economies. This tool is considered as one
of the best and reliable tools of women empowerment. Many NGO running and
implement their development programs through SHGs in all over the developing
economies. Microfinance encourages the socio-economic development of rural areas
Kulshrestha (2000). The main targeted group of SHG is poor women and women
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capable of providing alternative female role models for change which leads to women's
economic and social-political empowerment which focuses on gender awareness and
feminist organization (Biswas, 2008). According to Sarumathi and Mohan (2011) in
their article have observed that to meet the financial need of the rural women, fiancé
through SHG has been recognized internationally as the modern tool to combat poverty
and for rural development. SHG is effective in reducing poverty, empowering women
and creating awareness which finally results in the sustainable development of the
nations.

Kabeer in her studies stated that while access to financial services does make vital
contributions to the economic productivity and social well-being of poor women and
their households, it does not ‘automatically’ empower women, just as with other
interventions, such as education, political quotas, etc, that seeks to bring about a radical
structural transformation that ensures the true empowerment of women. He concluded
that microfinance offers an important and effective means of achieving change on a
number of different fronts, economic, social and political.

Financial freedom and education of women will go far in achieving independence for
women. Genuine change will come when women are treated at par with men and given
equivalent chances. The status of wellbeing is taking the lead and playing a significant
and critical role in social transformation, welfare activities and infrastructure building
and they have served the cause of women empowerment, social solidarity and socio-
economic betterment of the poor.

To empower women, education and health are identified as effective tools. The viability,
sustainability, and empowerment depend to an enormous degree on the grassroots
process rather than conceptually sound rationale. Women can be empowered not by an
external agency but by themselves, through capacity building, to take up challenges and
to scrutinize all types of exclusion and exploitation. Thus, providing better education
and quality health care services is not the end in itself but the means to facilitate the
process of empowerment.

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