Chapter 3 Scheduled Castes in Kerala: Welfare Schemes in Habitats & Non-Habitats CONTENTS 3.1 Evolution of Scheduled Castes in Kerala 3.2 Lowest Status of the Scheduled Castes – Reasons 3.3 Untouchability in Kerala 3.4 Social Movements of Scheduled Castes 3.5 Developmental Efforts 3.6 Habitats 3.7 Scheduled Castes in Kerala 3.8 Poverty 3.9 Welfare Schemes under SC Development Department 3.9.1 Educational Schemes 3.9.2 Economic Development Programmes 3.9.3 Social Upliftment Schemes 3.9.4 Housing Schemes 3.10 Kerala State Development Corporation for SCs and STs 3.11 Rural Development Department 3.11.1 Swarnajayanthy Gram Swarosegar Yojana (SGSY) 3.11.2 Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) 3.11.3 Sampoorna Gramin Rosegar Yojana (SGRY) 3.11.4 Swarna Jayanathi Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) 3.11.5 National Slum Development Programme (NSDP) 3.11.6 Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY) 3.11.7 Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP)
46
Embed
Scheduled Castes in Kerala: Welfare Schemes in …shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/22491/15/15...Chapter 3 SCHEDULED CASTES IN KERALA: WELFARE SCHEMES IN HABITATS & NON-HABITATS
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Chapter 3
Scheduled Castes in Kerala: Welfare Schemes in Habitats & Non-Habitats
CONTENTS 3.1 Evolution of Scheduled Castes in Kerala 3.2 Lowest Status of the Scheduled Castes – Reasons 3.3 Untouchability in Kerala 3.4 Social Movements of Scheduled Castes 3.5 Developmental Efforts 3.6 Habitats 3.7 Scheduled Castes in Kerala 3.8 Poverty 3.9 Welfare Schemes under SC Development Department 3.9.1 Educational Schemes 3.9.2 Economic Development Programmes 3.9.3 Social Upliftment Schemes 3.9.4 Housing Schemes 3.10 Kerala State Development Corporation for SCs and STs 3.11 Rural Development Department 3.11.1 Swarnajayanthy Gram Swarosegar Yojana (SGSY) 3.11.2 Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) 3.11.3 Sampoorna Gramin Rosegar Yojana (SGRY) 3.11.4 Swarna Jayanathi Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) 3.11.5 National Slum Development Programme (NSDP) 3.11.6 Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY) 3.11.7 Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP)
3.12 Special Schemes for Habitats 3.12.1 Constructing Road to the Habitats 3.12.2 Providing Electricity Facilities 3.12.3 Arranging Water Supply Facilities 3.12.4 Special Drinking Water Supply Schemes 3.12.5 Special Scheme for Women Self Help Groups 3.12.6 Digging Wells in Habitats 3.12.7 Scheme for Roofing 3.12.8 Schemes to Tackle Natural Calamities 3.12.9 Schemes to Help Patients 3.13 Conclusion Notes and References
Chapter 3
SCHEDULED CASTES IN KERALA: WELFARE SCHEMES IN HABITATS & NON-HABITATS
The evolution of SCs in Kerala through a historical perspective
and the causes for their deprivation are studied here. The various
welfare schemes introduced by government agencies to alleviate their
problems are also summarized particularly with respect to habitats
and non- habitats.
Comparatively the SCs in Kerala are leading a better social life
than the SCs in other parts of India. This may be due to the
commendable achievements that Kerala has achieved in the fields of
social, cultural, educational activities as well as in the areas of health
and land reforms. Deprivation is also much less here. But to what
extent these achievements have affected the SCs, the lowest rung of
the social hierarchy, is to be studied in depth. It can be seen that in
the matter of socio-economic development Kerala is ahead of all other
States in India, but the pattern of distribution of social and economic
opportunities within the State is highly inequitable among different
social groups, particularly between the SCs and the rest of the
population. The SCs generally face considerable disadvantage with
respect to those aspects of income earning opportunities like land
holding, employment and education as well as in housing. We have to
examine carefully to find the reasons for it.
3.1 Evolution of Scheduled Castes in Kerala
Kerala had a casteless society at the beginning of its history. The
Aryan settlers foisted the division of the people into four well-defined
51
castes on Kerala society by subtle methods1. They assigned to the
Dravidian chieftains and merchants comparatively high position in the
hierarchy of chathur-varnya granting them class occupations and
encouraging them to follow the way of life of the high castes. The
chieftains and rulers were made to believe that it was their sacred duty
to protect the Brahmins. Though this division had a semblance of
division of labour in the economic sense, it resulted in due course in
degradation and subjugation of a section of the population, later called
the SCs. Afterwards the system took deep root in Kerala and became a
means of oppression of the lower castes. Kerala was not at all behind
other Indian States, in rigidly enforcing the laws of pollution and
untouchability and keeping the castes away from each other. It was
the Aryans who established the principle of treating each group
following a particular occupation as a separate caste and prohibited
inter-marriage.
Even though the majority of the SCs lived in the plains first,
some of them had migrated into the forest for various reasons later. It
is also believed that they were powerful people; some of them had even
emerged as rulers of the land. Being land-oriented the SCs were
agricultural serifs toiling from morning to night for earning a
livelihood. Sometimes they were treated as his own cattle and other
animals or movable or immovable properties. Most of them lived in
huts or kutchas erected on bunds of waste paddy fields, wherein they
worked day and night.
3.2 Lowest Status of the Scheduled Castes -Reasons
The study of the origin of private property and accumulations of
wealth leads to the economical basis for slavery in Kerala. The class
52
division based on field-cultivation took the form of caste division
nullifying the equality of primitive communal society. Those who
accumulated the greatest wealth became the highest caste and those
who accumulated no wealth at all, became the lowest caste. Politically
this process of the division of society into caste was facilitated or even
stimulated by the Chera Empire2 during AD 400-500. As a social
consequence the Brahmins who succeeded in establishing their
superiority extended special privileges to those who supported them.
In due course this division of labour on economic base, made a section
of the population degraded and subjugated. Later these sections
became the so-called untouchables or SCs whose lives were doomed to
work in the fields of their masters. This class was sold, mortgaged and
rented out. Logan described in 1887 that the slave trade transactions
were done in secret for fear of penalties of sections 370 and 371 of the
Indian Penal Code, which had come into force in January 1862.
3.3 Untouchability in Kerala
It is said that “unapproachability” and “unseeability” were also
part of untouchability. In Kerala, the roads near certain temples like
Vaikom Temple, Guruvayoor Temple and Sucheendram Temple3 were
prohibited areas for the untouchables to enter. Even correct
measurements were in vogue instructing the untouchables to keep
away from the caste-Hindus. The Temple Entry proclamation issued
by the Maharajah of Travancore4 in1936 was a pioneering effort in the
field of reforms relating to eradication of untouchability. It was so
significant that, even in Madras such a step was taken only in 1946.
Through this proclamation it was ordered that there should be no
restriction placed on any Hindu by birth or religion on entering or
53
worshipping at the temples controlled by the Maharajah or his
government. This gave momentum to the much- needed reform and
various other state governments enacted similar legislations in this
field.
According to Article 17 part II of the Constitution, untouchability
is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden. But
untouchability being an age-old institution has taken roots in the
minds and social structure of certain castes and exists even now.4 Its
eradication is incomplete so long as it receives a mental recognition
and persists indirectly in some form or other in the social structure.
3.4 Social Movements of Scheduled Castes
The world of caste and the practice of untouchability have been
subjects of serious thinking and research over the past few decades.
They have also provided opportunity for reformists and revolutionary
social movements historically. In post-independence India and also
during the British regime, untouchability in particular has made the
government to assume the role of social workers. In Kerala, the caste
system split the people into horizontal and vertical divisions, thus
forming a caste hierarchy in which Brahmins were at the top and the
untouchables (SCs) at the bottom. There were often encounters and
clashes among the lower strata and the conciliation efforts and final
decisions were taken by the upper classes which inherited supremacy
over the lower castes, where caste was considered hereditary and
continued in the same way until death. The occupation field was in a
static condition, as the lower caste people were not allowed to enjoy
the higher caste occupations. Hence ascending occupational mobility
and descending occupation mobility were not allowed in that caste-
54
ridden society. Caste determined the social, economical and political
positions. The lower castes were not allowed the possession of property
and hence there existed an economic stagnation. Constant
dependence and obligation to higher castes for livelihood made
inferiority complex in the minds of SCs, which in turn hindered their
development. The social condition did not give them opportunity for
developing even human values. Hence a society evolved which was
static and introvert in nature.
Defenses and struggles originated against these evil situations
and continued for decades. The national renovation movements,
teachings and integration works directly or indirectly fueled the social
movements in Kerala also. In the social revolutionary process of the
SCs, a remarkable dimension was attained with the entrance of the
social reformer Srimath Ayyankali. Imbibing the spirit from Sree
Swarna Janyanthi Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) is a centrally
sponsored scheme launched in December 1997. The objective of this
integrated poverty alleviation programme is to provide gainful
employment for the urban unemployed and under employed poor by
setting up self employment ventures and taking up wage employment
in public works. The programme is being implemented by the urban
local bodies through community based organization (CBOs) of the
poor.
SJSRY has the following 3 components
1. Urban Self-Employment Programme. (USEP)
Assistance for setting up individual enterprises
Development of Women and Children in Urban Areas.
(DWCUA)- Assistance to Urban Poor Women for setting up group
enterprises
88
2. Urban Wage Employment Programme.
Revolving fund for Women Self Help Groups and Group
Enterprises.
Skill up gradation training, General training, Management of
Community Development Societies.
Conducting Urban household surveys
3. Community structure.
3.11.5 National Slum Development Programme (NSDP)
NSDP, also a continuing scheme started implementation during
1997-98. It is a 100% centrally sponsored programme formulated to
tackle the problems of urban slum dwellers. Under this scheme there
is provision for physical amenities such as water supply, storm water
drainage, community bathroom, widening and paving of existing lanes,
sewers, community latrines, street light community infrastructure,
community health centres, primary care, social amenities etc.
3.11.6 Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY)
Under the National Slum Development Programme (NSDP) slum
development activities are taken up, particularly provision of minimum
needs infrastructure and housing. During the first year of the X Plan
Government of India launched another housing scheme for
reclamation of the slums in the urban namely Valmiki Ambedkar Awas
Yojana (VAMBAY). Though it was started in 2001-02, the State has
already constructed 16812 houses against a target of 19454. The
construction of the remaining houses is progressing. VAMBAY was
discontinued from 2008 march.
89
3.11.7 Integrated Housing and slum Development Programme (IHSDP)
Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP)
is a newly launched centrally sponsored programme, for housing and
infrastructure development in Urban Slums. Government of India
launched this programme in December 2005. IHSDP was evolved by
merging the ongoing two centrally sponsored programmes for slum
development viz. National slum Development Programme (NSDP) and
Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY).
The basic objective of the scheme is to strive for holistic slum
development and to enable urban environment by providing adequate
shelter and basic infrastructure facilities to the slum dwellers of the
identified urban areas.
A minimum of 12% beneficiary contribution should be
stipulated, which in the case of SC/ST/BC/OBC/PH and other weaker
sections shall be 10%. Minimum floor area of dwelling unit is not less
than 25 sq.mtrs.
3.12 Special schemes for habitats
The State Government executes a two-way strategy for the
development of SCs. A locality where more than 50% of the total
population belongs to SC is named as a habitat, subject to a minimum
of five SC households. Special schemes are designed for the
marginalized. They are:-
3.12.1 Constructing road to the habitats
Special schemes are available for constructing new roads,
renewal, construction of retaining walls, tarring or any such allied
works, provided the beneficiaries are more than 50% SCs.
90
3.12.2 Providing electricity facilities
Schemes are available for providing electric lighting to the
households in habitats, provided the beneficiaries are more than 50%
SCs. Free charge scheme and different rate tariffs are available
according to the consumption.
3.12.3 Arranging water supply facilities
For implementing water supply schemes more than 50% of the
land area must belong to SC/ST. This scheme is implemented through
Kerala Water Authority and LSGs.
3.12.4 Special Drinking Water Supply Scheme
This is for (SCA) for habitats affected by drought. An amount of
Rs.15/- crores is sanctioned by the Central Government under this
scheme for the year 2006-2007.
3.12.5 Special Scheme for Women Self Help Groups (SC Help Groups)
By forming self- helping groups of SC Women in habitats (with
20 families) different projects can be implemented for their overall
development. A grant of Rs.1.25 lakhs for a SHG or Rs. 10,000/- (for a
member) whichever is less is given as subsidy. The members must
belong to BPL.
3.12.6 Digging Wells in habitats
A special scheme is implemented through local bodies for
digging well in habitats to make drinking water available.
3.12.7 Scheme for roofing
Schemes are also available for roofing the houses of SCs using
coconuts leaves or sheets.
91
3.12.8 Schemes to tackle natural calamities
Schemes are available to tackle natural calamities.
3.12.9 Schemes to help patients
Special schemes are implemented to help patients who are
suffering from chronic diseases.
3.13 Conclusion
From the various welfare measures explained above it is clear
that these schemes are meant for all the SCs irrespective of their
dwelling place. But additional welfare schemes are given for those who
live in habitats, which mean that they deserve more as they suffer
much due to the place in which they are living. In the following
chapters the focus of study is on the impact of important schemes in
the habitats and other places of their abode and as a comparison.
92
Notes and References 1. Dr. E.J. Thomas, (1997) Keralathinte Samooha Ghatanayum
Roopantharavum, D.C. Books Kottayam, page 15-16.
2. Balakrishnan P.K., (1983) Jathi vyavasthitiyum Kerala Charithravum. National Book Stall. Chapter 2 page 21.
3. Sucheendram Temple is now in Kanyakumari District in Tamil Nadu State, as a result of the reunion of States in India on a lingustic basis in 1956.
4. Babu Vijayanath, (1982) Chairman, Commission the Socio –Economic Conditions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Report, page 86
5. SNP Yogam: Sree Nanaryana Paripalana Yogam was started by Sree Narayana Guru in 1903 and later its leadership was taken by Ezhava echelons and they renamed and registered it as Sree Nanaryana Dharama Paripalana Yogam (SNDP Yogam) in 1928.
7. From the paper presented by Prabath Pat Naik, (Vice Chairman, Kerala State Planning Board) in the Three day National Seminar on the topic “Land reforms – a review” on 26.4.08. Report, Janayugam daily on 27.4.08.
8. Amartya Sen, Development as Freedom, Oxford University Press. New Delhi- 2000
9. Ibid page 10.
10. Government of Kerala Economic Review 2006 State Planning Board Thiruvanathapuram March 2007 page 335
11. Babu Vijayanath, (1982) Chairman, Commission on the Socio –Economic Conditions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Report page 44
12. Ibid page44
13. Ibid
14. Dr. Asok Bhoyal, (2007) My Encounter with Dronacharya, (Mal.tran) Fabian Books, Alappuzha, Page 328.
15. INDIA 2008, Research, Reference And Training Division Publications Division Ministry of Information And Broadcasting Government of India
16. Government of India, Census Reports, 2001.
17. Ibid
18. As amended by the constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders (Second Amendment) Act 2002 (Act 61 of 2002) Vide Part VIII - Kerala - Scheduled I notified in the gazette of India, dt. 18.12.2002
93
19. Economic Review - 2006, Kerala State Planning Board, Trivandurm page397.
20. Ibid.page 355.
21. For the purpose of census 2001, a person aged seven and above, who can both read and write with understanding in any language, is treated a literate. A person, who can only read but cannot write, is not literate. (India 2008, Publications division Ministry of information and Broadcasting Government of India, New Delhi, 2008.)
22. Sex ratio is defined as the number of females per thousands males is an important social indicator to measure the extent of prevailing equality between males and females in a society at a given point of time. (India 2008, Publications division Ministry of information and Broadcasting Government of India, New Delhi, 2008).
23. SC Development Department, SC Development State Level Advisory Council Review Report, Preface, 2007
24. Kirtads (Kerala Institute for Research Training And Development Studies of SC/ST) is an Institute that conducts research and intensive study on Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe population of the state. It has head office at Kozhikodu.
25. Economic Review - 2006, Kerala State Planning Board, Trivandurm page 515.