Many Scheduled Caste sub-categories have limited urban presence in Punjab

In the last of a three-part series, Business Standard looks at Punjab's Scheduled Caste population and inter-group variance on key parameters

A number of Scheduled Caste sub-groups are located in rural areas compared to the rest of the population.

At least eight sub-groups of the Scheduled Castes of Punjab have over 70 per cent of their population located in rural areas, according to an analysis of Census 2011 data. The analysis looked at sub-groups with a population of at least 1,000.

The rural population share can have implications on the sustainability of caste, though the evidence on the nature of the effects is divided. The movement to metropolitan cities may be associated with a break down in caste barriers, according to some.

 “ …it seems likely that in relatively-poor villages, all residents suffer from low incomes but once incomes begin to rise as with developed villages or early urbanisation, the benefits accrue to privileged groups. It is only in metropolitan cities that caste-based discrimination is moderated,” suggested a 2012 paper ‘Caste in 21st Century India: Competing Narratives’ from authors Sonalde Desai of the University of Maryland and Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Amaresh Dubey.

The Mahatam or Rai Sikh and Sanhal sub-groups had more than 90 per cent of their population living in rural areas.

It is 73.3 per cent for all Scheduled Castes in Punjab, and 62.5 per cent for the state across castes.

The Mochi and Deha or Dhaya or Dhea sub-groups had a rural population of less than 10 per cent.

The Supreme Court recently passed an order allowing Punjab and other states the right towards sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes for reservations.

There are 39 sub-groups within the Scheduled Caste community in Punjab. The top three have a population of over 1 million and account for more than 60 per cent of the Scheduled Caste population.

The bottom 10 account for less than 5,000 put together or under 0.05 per cent of the state’s Scheduled Caste population (chart 1).

 Literacy rates vary significantly. For the Sarera community, the figure is 74.6 per cent. This is higher than Punjab overall (67.4 per cent) and the overall Scheduled Caste community (56.5 per cent).

The Ad Dharmi (73 per cent) and Kabirpanthi or Julaha (71.4 per cent) are the other sub-groups with relatively higher literacy rates.

But more than 80 per cent of the population of the bottom sub-groups can neither read nor write (chart 2). This includes Nat

(14.2 per cent literacy rate) and Sapela (12.1 per cent)

The Sapela community is also at the bottom in terms of share of the worker population. Only 27 per cent of the population are classified as workers. It is 43.3 per cent for the Mochi community, which tops the list among Scheduled Castes (chart 3).

The share of main workers, or those who were employed for over six months in a year, also varies relative to those employed for less than six months in a year (marginal workers) for different communities.

A higher share of marginal workers can indicate greater employment insecurity.