And miles to go before she sleeps

There is evidence to show that, on the whole, the socio-economic condition of each of the social groups in Uttar Pradesh has made some improvement in the last two decades.

THERE is evidence to show that, on the whole, the socio-economic condition of each of the social groups in Uttar Pradesh has made some improvement in the last two decades. This holds true for a large number of dimensions, such as occupational structure, land ownership, health and educational status, access to public amenities, and poverty status.

HOWEVER, by and large, the relative distance between groups has not narrowed. And within-group inequalities have ncreased.

IN the case of the Scheduled Castes, there has been some secular progress in this group as a whole over time. But in some spheres, for example in the proportion of SCs holding white-collar jobs, there has been no improvement since the early 1980s.

MORE dalits were concentrated at the lower end of the economic

spectrum in 1999-2000 than was the case in 1983. SCs are also crowded at

the low end among the landless and rural labourers. Relatively little has

happened in the intervening years to improve the condition of the

poorer dalits.

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A COMPARISION of educational attaintemnt of adult males in 1983 and 1999-2000 shows that SCs/STs have gained at all levels of education. However, SC males are still overrepresented in the illiterate category, again showing the considerable within-group disparities in achievement. Despite progress, the share of SC/ST and Muslim groups among the illiterate population rose from 45.9 per cent in 1983 to 53.4 per cent in 1999-2000.

DESPITE overall improvement, there is evidence to show that dalits formed a greater percentage of the deprived in UP in 1999-2000 than was the case in 1983.

CLEARLY, given that the BSP shared power in UP for three spells since 1993, its impact on the growing marginalisation of the poorer dalits in the state has been minimal.

Text adapted and tables taken from the essay 8216;Economic Change among Social Groups in Uttar Pradesh, 1983-20008217; by Ravi S. Srivastava, in 8216;Political Process in Uttar Pradesh: Identity, Economic Reforms and Governance8217;, edited by Sudha Pai Pearson Longman: 2007