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 ....