Social Inclusion/Exclusion in India

Across social groups, the incidence of poverty has been most pronounced among the SCs and STs. Even though the incidence of poverty among these groups has declined over the years, the headcount ratio (HCR) for SCs and STs remains higher than the national average.

• Unlike the SCs who are dispersed throughout the country, STs have traditionally been concentrated in about 15% of the country’s geographical areas, mainly forests, hills, undulating inaccessible areas. The fact that most of them live in isolated groups in relatively remote areas has made it more difficult to deliver essential services to them and has also made it much more difficult for them to benefit from the acceleration of overall growth than is the case with SCs
• The health status of both SCs and STs are far worse than that of other sections of society. Since access to health care is limited for STs and SCs, barely 42% of pregnant SCs could access a doctor for ante natal care and only 28% could access an Auxiliary Midwife Nurse (AMN). But, 64% of others obtained ante natal care from a doctor. Again, since most STs live in remote rural areas, barely 18% of all STs had deliveries in a health facility, compared to 51 per cent among other communities.
• Other disadvantaged groups needing special support are Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Minorities and also other marginalised and vulnerable groups which suffer from handicaps such as Persons with Disabilities, senior citizens, street children, beggars and victims of substance abuse.