In a country where “inclusion” is the emerging political mantra, an estimated 215 million Indians roughly the population of Pakistan and Canada combined lives below the poverty line.
According to official data revealed, these paupers, almost Forty three million households have “zero assets”, which means they do not own a television set, a mobile phone,a motorcycle, or any of seven items recognized by the government of India as being of economic value.
Adivasis, or “original dwellers”– a collective term used for some of India’s diverse tribal groups comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population of India are the most excluded group in India on almost all social counts, such as education, housing, land-ownership and access to government programmes.
On most counts, other disadvantaged groups like Dalits, Muslims and women are still battling for their better survival. Nationwide only 40% live in pucca (solid) houses.
Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank and Ban Ki-Moon, secretary general of UN, and recently expressed concern about India’s excluded millions. Worse, the government has not been spending the money especially set aside for the advancement of groups chosen for affirmative action, such as scheduled castes (SC) or Dalits and scheduled tribes (ST), which includes adivasis. Many allege that the governments are using these funds for other political purposes.
Access to drinking water is at a low of 19.7% for adivasis, against the overall percentage of 46.6%. About 37% of adivasi households have no assets. funds meant for social welfare are often diverted for other purposes or have not been utilized as how it has to be used.