Scheduled Castes in Tamil Nadu
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Gap between SCs and OBCs
The Times of India, May 04 2016
Subodh Varma
In Tamil Nadu, incomes of Dalit households are strikingly lower than households of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and upper castes, as revealed in the monthly consumer expenditure (equivalent to income) recorded in NSSO's surveys. Dalit incomes are about 24% lower than OBC incomes and nearly 30% lower than upper caste incomes in rural areas.
“Tamil Nadu's two dominant parties largely represent OBCs and, as in other parts of India, their holding the reins of power has meant economic, political advance for elite sections of OBCs but not for dalits,“ explained PS Krishnan, former secretary in the Union ministry of welfare and a scholar. Unlike elsewhere in India, upper castes make up only a very small share of Tamil Nadu's population, estimated at about 2.6% by NSSO.Tribals too are a small population in the state, about 1.1%. Comparing Tamil Nadu's income gaps between Dalits and OBCs with the equivalent gaps at the all India level gives a glimpse of how much OBCs have gained and how much Dalits haven't in the southern state.
The average income gap between Dalits and OBCs at the country level is just 15% in rural areas and 12% in urban areas. That is, the gap is half of what is found in Tamil Nadu. This is because in Tamil Nadu, the relative position of Dalits is worse compared to the economi cally dominant OBCs.
On an average, in Tamil Nadu, a four member Dalit household would earn about Rs 5,800 per month while a simila OBC family would be earning Rs 7,20 At the all-India average level, the Dal family earned about Rs 5,008 pm whi an OBC family earned Rs 5,755 pm.
One key indicator of the plight of Da its is landlessness. Tamil Nadu has on of the highest shares of Dalits withou land, at about 92% in rural areas. The a India average is about 61%. In 1999-200 the share of landless Dalits was abou 82%. This crucial deprivation lays th basis for their exploitation and conti ued poverty .“Apart from these econom shackles, the two dominant parties hav failed to fight against social discrimin tion and violence, diverse forms of u touchability and humiliation that Dali have to bear daily,“ Krishnan said.
