**Why the Tamil Nadu model trumps Gujarat** Less well-known, but no less significant, is the gradual emergence and consolidation of universalistic social policies in Tamil Nadu... – Jean Dreze and Amartya Sen Corruption, cut-outs and cine stars rule Tamil Nadu. But such stereotyping undermines the thriving economy of the state, and its redistributive dimension based on strong, state-sponsored welfare spending. For instance, the recent Raghuram Rajan report on backwardness of states classifies 28 Indian states, based on multi-development index scores, as ‘less developed’, ‘relatively developed’ and ‘the most developed’. Tamil Nadu comes through as one of the most developed states, among the top three in this category. Significantly, Tamil Nadu has not merely witnessed growth, but has been able to distribute it among even the most marginalized groups. According to the 2011 census, while 72 per cent of Dalit workers are marginal workers at the national level, only 7 per cent are so in Tamil Nadu. Marginal workers are those who do not get employed for the most part of the year. Similarly, the 2005-06 National Family Health Survey data shows that the Infant Mortality Rate for Dalits in Tamil Nadu was 37 per cent, while the corresponding figure for India stands at 66 per cent. The robust politicization of caste in the state, almost for a century, is central to this process of different social groups partaking of the benefits of the economy. In specific terms, the state has, by means of reservation and universal education, endowed these marginalized groups with capabilities to participate in the economy. What is significant here is the continuous experimentation within reservation by the state to benefit the marginalized caste groups. For instance, in 1971, M Karunanidhi, as chief minister, took a pro-Dalit stance when he increased the SC-ST reservation to 18 per cent against the AN Sattanathan Committee’s recommendation of continuing with the pre-existing 16 per cent. On the other hand, he increased the BC reservation only to 31 per cent (from 25 per cent) although the Committee recommended it to be increased to 33 per cent. Similarly, in 1989, following the agitation by the Vanniars, an intermediate caste, he introduced the compartmental reservation by setting apart a substantial 20 per cent for the most backward and denotified communities out of the overall BC reservation of 50 per cent. This has indeed benefited to a considerable degree the disadvantaged groups within the backward castes. In fact, the Vanniars have increased their admission to professional courses five- to six-fold, following the new system of reservation. - See more at: hardnewsmedia/2013/12/6156?page=show#sthash.2rESRc10.dpuf
Posted on: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 17:46:19 +0000
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