Scheduled Castes, their Disadvantages and Deprivation: A Rural All-India Profile

This paper examines the economic handicaps and extent of deprivation of the Scheduled Caste households in rural India. It compares them with the Scheduled Tribe households and other social groups in terms of their economic profile in 1993-94. It examines the extent of poverty and inequality among the Scheduled Castes by different landholding classes and household types both at a point in time and over time between 1987-88 and 1993-94. The evidence presented call for efforts to augment both the physical and human capital endowment of the Scheduled Caste households in order to promote their opportunities, empowerment and security.