Improvement in human development indicators of SCs, STs: Govt informs Parliament

There has been an improvement in the human development indicators (HDI) of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) over the years, even if the gap remains between them and other social groups, the ministry of planning informed Parliament on Monday.

Minister of State (MoS) for Planning, Rao Inderjit Singh was replying to a query in Rajya Sabha by Indian National Congress (INC) MP Phulo Devi Netam.

Netam had asked whether it is a fact that Human Development Index of SCs and STs is less as compared to that of the country, if so, the details thereof.

She also asked the details of indicators wherein SCs and STs lag behind in Human Development Index (HDI) along with the reasons.

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According to the office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, the literacy rates of such social groups have seen steady growth in the last three decades; the literacy rate was recorded at 52 in 1991 and 64 in 2001, with 2011 recording the highest rate at 74.

Citing data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), Singh stated that the key health indicators such as infant mortality rate and child mortality rates have also seen comparative progress over the last several decades. The infant mortality rates of SC and ST saw a major dip in 2016, which was recorded at a rate of 35, compared to 1992, when the infant mortality rate was around 86. A similar pattern of improvement was recorded for other health factors, according to the NFHS data, wherein the child mortality rate saw a drastic reduction of 6.9, as against 1992, which had recorded a staggering rate of 39.5

Netam had also asked the Centre about the current state of SCs and STs in the country, asking why the socially backward groups had little to contribute to the HDI when compared to the rest of the country.

“Reduction of the gap in the HDIs amongst SCs, STs, and other social groups has always been the priority of socio-economic development policy, and the government is committed to it,” the ministry of planning said.

The main reasons for gaps are poverty and its vicious circle, illiteracy, dependence largely on wage labour, which the government has been addressing through various socio-economic development programs,” the ministry added.

MoS Singh also told Parliament of the progress that such weaker social groups have made on the educational front, over the last few decades.

Rao said that the percentage of SC/ST school dropouts seeking primary education has come down to 2.54% in the last year, from 5.12% in 2015-2016.

2020–2021 recorded zero per cent of such dropouts, according to the data from the ministry of school education and literacy.

“There are major ongoing programs exclusively for SCs and STs, implemented respectively by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs,” the Centre told Parliament.

According to the latest census data, during the period 2001–2011, ST and SC women made the most rapid progress.

The literacy rate of ST and SC men has jumped by 9.4 and 8.5 percentage points, according to the same data. The literacy rate of SC women, which was about 42% in 2001, increased to 56.5% in 2011.