Special Component Plan for Scheduled Castes 1982-83 (Kerala)

Abstract

From Introduction: The population of Scheduled Castes in Kerala constitutes nearly 8.3 per cent of the total population of the State. There have been policy guidelines and statutory provisions for the uplift of these down-trodden people from the inception of the plan era. The policies and programmes for the betterment of Scheduled Castes became more purposeful and more comprehensive with the preparation of the Special Component Plans in 1979-80. But the various measures by way of social amelioration, educational advancement and economic development proposed and implemented hitherto have not yielded the desired results. The Scheduled Castes are characterised by their rurality, illiteracy, economic backwardness and social retardation and hence form the core of the weaker sections of the society. In fact, they are not in a position to avail themselves of the facilities available in an area because of their low social and economic background. They are caught up in a vicious circle which has forced them to be dependent on their exploiters for sustenance and are denied the opportunities to develop the capacity for earning independent livelihood.